Opportunities & Social Justice for Africa’s Indigenous Batwa People
www.redemptionsongfoundation.org
OUR PROJECTS
SOCIAL JUSTICE
Seeing the sadness and lack of hope in the eyes of the Batwa children of Kalehe village led our director to move to Uganda in 2014 where she lived for 3 years. She currently lives in California but returns regularly and a Ugandan staff runs the on-the-ground operations. We designed RSF based on Elinor Ostrom's Nobel-winning theory that people can and will solve their own problems if given the democratic ability to make choices about their lives and future. While idealistic, much research, and Ostrom's Nobel Prize in Economics, shows the principles work in the real world.
RSF believes that transforming a community that is suffering from extreme poverty takes an ongoing commitment to building relationships that are filled with abundant grace, love, and hope. We facilitate community development and help them to build trust among one another and with RSF staff.
The RSF House provides a safe place where Batwa kids can come anytime to play, clean up, and get a bite to eat. Once per week during the school year and twice weekly during school holidays, RSF provides an Educational Soup Kitchen to these kids — providing protein-rich meals, helping with their homework and offering educational playtime to learn, from the ABCs to hygiene, health, and sports skills. We also help the Batwa take full advantage of the resources provided to them in the local area, including a great health insurance program, a hospital/clinic with excellent overall care, family planning and HIV treatment.
Clean Water!
We installed two tap-stands for clean, treated water in Kalehe Village! The water comes from a freshwater spring in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, and is managed by Buhoma Community Gravity Water Scheme. Providing this water to the Batwa community was an act of social and environmental justice since they historically accessed this water within their ancestral forest but they are currently prevented from accessing the forest, which is within the park. The dominant tribe were accessing the water but the Batwa did not have any access until RSF paid to have it connected to their village.
To learn more about our accomplishments on our 10-year anniversary in 2024, please read this blog post: 10 Years of Impact.
EDUCATION
RSF has several education projects.
* Sponsor a Batwa child! We work closely with the Batwa of Kalehe village. Beginning with just 3 kids, we now sponsor all kids in the village and it has been a roaring success! We are seeking sponsors at $250 (Half) or $500 (Full) per year, which helps put a Batwa child through a year of primary school. Secondary students require additional funds.
Learn more information about the children and programs at the Batwa Kids page.
We know each child personally and can assure you these children are in genuine need of assistance in schools, and the extra nutritional, emotional, and educational support provided by this boarding environment. Bishop's is considered the best school academically in the region.
* Building classrooms: RSF funded the completion of a Primary 5 (P5) classroom at Rugando Parents School, including the walls and ceilings, chalkboard and desks. 2015 was the first year the school has a P5 classroom, and the kids, parents, and teachers alike are thrilled! We have also helped suport the Bwindi Community Vocational School adjacent to the RSF House.
* Supporting the unique needs of girls in schools: Many girls do not attend school during their periods or drop out altogether upon reaching menarche, but RSF is committed to keeping girls in school. We create hygiene packs for all girls of menstruating age and deliver them to schools; they include panties, Afripads or Moonpads reusable pads and liners, and a cloth carrying case. We help educate teachers, parents, as well as the boys and girls reaching puberty about the importance of understanding menstruation, body changes, and staying in school.
* Educational Field Trips: To reward their continued attendance and good performance, we bring the older Batwa children we sponsor to Queen Elizabeth National Park, where we stay in a resort and go on "safari" to see lions, elephants, hippos and more - wildlife these African children had never seen! They also see role models in the Ugandans working in tourism and as park guards. We have done this three times, and all the kids have loved it so much. Donate to this important educational effort that they would never have a chance for otherwise.
ARTISAN CO-OP
Redemption Song Foundation buys handmade baskets and jewelry from the Batwa of Kalehe village, home to several families of Batwa people, as well as local Bakiga tribe women in Buhoma, Nkwenda and Rugando villages.
The Kalehe Batwa identified their priorities as: clean drinking water, improved housing, better living conditions and livelihoods, and a bridge across the river. And we have succeeded in each of these projects! However, needs are ongoing.
Our first project back in 2015 was building the Munyaga River bridge so their kids dont have to wade across to get to and from school, which is especially dangerous and sometimes completely impossible in the rainy season.
We have increased the overall income level of Kalehe Batwa, and they can be seen purchasing "cloth wraps" they wear, clothes and boots for the kids, and meat — having money gives them clout and empowers them in a place where discrimination is common.
We have built 4 permanent brick houses and several mud-and-wattle homes for single moms, provided "dignity kits" with mattresses, sheets and mosquito nets — after they constructed bedframes so they didn't have to sleep on their dirt floors — and drying racks so dishes didn't dry in the mud.
These baskets are part of their culture and true works of art. Use them for decoration, or to hold items in.
Baskets are ready to order & ship as we have inventory in the US.
To purchase, visit our Online Store!
