KISORO – Authorities in Kisoro district, in collaboration with conservationists, have launched the Bwindi Batwa Forest Experience Initiative a groundbreaking effort to preserve the traditional cultural heritage of the Batwa, a minority group in South Western Uganda.
Part of the broader “University as a Facilitator for Community-Based Solutions to Demographic Challenges in South Western Uganda (UCoBS)” project led by Mbarara University of Science and Technology, this initiative aims to empower the Batwa community by allowing them to use designated areas along the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park boundaries to showcase their unique cultural values globally.
Dr. Medard Twinamatsiko Katoonera, a lecturer at Mbarara University and project team leader, highlighted the dual purpose of the project preserving cultural heritage and providing the Batwa community with a sustainable livelihood, a facet often lacking in government initiatives.
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Nelson Guma, Chief Warden for Bwindi-Mgahinga Conservation Area, emphasized that the initiative enhances the trail experience within the park, providing the Batwa with an improved and engaging interaction with the natural surroundings.
Abel Bizimana, the LCV chairperson for Kisoro, praised the initiative, expressing confidence in fostering unity among the Batwa and contributing to their overall development.
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For centuries, the Batwa, a semi-nomadic pygmy tribe, thrived in the jungles of Echuya, Bwindi, and Mgahinga forests, sustaining themselves through hunting and gathering.
However, in 1992, the government, in its wildlife conservation efforts, displaced them from their ancestral lands without providing alternative accommodations.
