Cooperative Society
Reformed Poachers and Batwa Farmers’ Cooperative Society (REPABFCOS) was started in 2019 for members to better benefit from tourism and the growing regional need for food through sustainable agribusiness. The Cooperative addresses issues of poverty, hunger, and malnutrition (PHM), which has been prevalent since the Batwa eviction in 1993 from their ancestral home in Bwindi forest, now a national park and renowned home for the mountain gorillas. Limited access to the forest not only affected the Batwa native people but also the local non-Batwa people including the now reformed poachers and women. The people must till the land, manage crops or animals, and conduct other projects or work to generate income and survive. However, most of these people have no prior agricultural experience to guide their success.
The cooperative provides training and access to agricultural loans, seed and farm tools, farmer to farmer training, collective access to market, and other services. Target customers are local households, small restaurants, tourism lodges, food stores and markets. Loans offered are soft loans with 4 month grace periods and attracting only 5% taken at the month when the borrower begins repayment. To serve all members better, a resolution was made by beneficiaries to start a cooperative society and own shares and do a business where each member benefits equally.
Completed Projects
Water Ponds & HydroElectric Power
Water ponds provide water to the vegetable fields by using high horsepower water pumps and sprinkler systems. They are used to raise fish and act as a reservoir for irrigation in the dry season.
Establishing of sustainable fish farming project to provide an alternative source of animal protein
Amount requested $5,500
Amount Pledged $5,500
Status: completed many thanks to the donor
Extension of the gravity water to the organisation establishments
Amount required: 7,000
Amount pledged: 7,000
Status: project completed, many thanks to the donor
Extension of the hydro electricity power-line to the CIBIC resource centre
Amount required $2,000
Amount pledged $2,000
Status: Project completed many thanks to the donor
Mushroom Farming
Batwa families who were evicted are now growing oyster mushrooms mainly for food and income. It is a cash and a nutritious crop with high rate of income and in a short time. Many thanks to our donors and partners for enabling us see this project a success. Over 100 local women are also growing mushroom which they used to harvest from the forest.
Construction of the mushroom growing unit and supply of equipment
Amount required $2,000
Amount pledged $2,000
Status: project completed many thanks to the donor.
Expansion of the mushroom project and training of women in mushroom farming
Amount required $10,000
Amount pledged $10,000
Status: Project completed many thanks to the donor
Vertical Gardens
Vertical gardens in sacks, slopes, or spent plastic battles produce food without opening more land for agriculture, and gives access to fresh food to people without land. In these sack gardens, we are growing kale, lettuce, cauliflower, tomatoes, green peppers,cabbage, and beans.
Establishing Reforming poachers and Batwa cultural values Walk sites for tourists to visit.
Amount required $500
Amount Pledged $500
Status: Project completed many thanks to the donor
Land purchase
Amount required: $3,000
Amount pledged: $3,000
Status: project completed many thanks to the donor
Construction of Agrotourism and cultural preservation and demonstration kitchen
Amount required: $500
Amount pledged: $500
Status: project completed, many thanks to the donor
Construction of the poultry unit and stocking unit with chicken
Amount required $2,400
Amount pledged $2,400
Status: project completed many thanks to the donor
Pig pen and store construction
Amount required: $2,000
Amount funded: $2,000
Status: project completed many thanks to the donor
Expansion of the Piggery project to the reformed poachers
Amount required $6,000
Amount Pledged $6,000
Status: Project completed Many thank to the donor
Construction and expansion of the piggery project
Amount required: £6,000
Amount pledged: £6,000
Status: project completed, many thanks to the donor.
Purchase of the land for the beekeeping and bee hives
Amount required: $500
Amount pledged: $500
Status: project completed many thanks to the donor.
Upcoming Projects
- Building an agricultural training and support center to recruit and train leaders in sustainable farming Business from all national parks in Uganda. Amount required $6,000
- Supporting Village Savings and Loans Association for farmers with revolving loans for seeds and agricultural equipment. Amount required $100 per group
- Construction of a Community Center for mushroom spawn production. Amount required $3,000
- Conducting conservation education and awareness in communities around Bwindi and Queen Elizabeth National Parks. Amount Required $2,000
- Four wheel drive pick-up car for transporting goods and services between farmers, customers and suppliers. Amount required $7,000
- Improvement on the fish farming project (water level management, maintenance, Seepage control harvesting gears, feeds management and production, protection against thieves and predators, fish processing and marketing). Amount required $3,800
- Purchase of 2 field motorcycles for the field extension workers. Amount required $1,000
- Purchase of more land for vegetable growing and piggery on pasture rearing demonstration. Amount required $10,000
Ongoing & Upcoming Projects
We fundraise to support our operations needs and keep our initiatives running. We aim to continue growing our facilities as the number of people we serve continue to grow each day, and need funding for ongoing and upcoming projects. Please donate to our cause or to a specific project.
Bottle Brick Tanks [ongoing]
Amount required = $5,000
CIBIC is recycling plastic bottles into bricks to construct rainwater harvesting tanks. This kind of tank will consume 4,000 bottles, and store 20,000 liters of water. After successful completion, it will be duplicated in schools, community gardens, households and other park-edge dry land areas in Uganda.
Batwe Beekeeping [ongoing]
Amount needed = $10,000
Amount pledged = $3,500
Balance remaining = $6,500
Beekeeping is a valuable and sustainable enterprise that aids in pollination, creates room for carbon sequestration, and produces consumable and marketable goods. This project currently employs 70 Batwa families who maintain more than 20 million bees. We train on how to sustain a large bee population, safely harvest honey without killing bees, and produce goods from the wax and honey. A number of products are on the market including wax crafts, candles, body lotions, sweets, and honey.
Senior Contacts
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Mr.Johnbosco Tusingwire-Founding executive Director
+256(0) 782 657 007
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Mr.Kaleb Kahima Tusiime-Chairman
+256(0) 772 856 649
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Mrs.Gloria Tushemereirwe-General Secretary
+256(0) 781 869 055