By VOM News Team
A total of nine members from the Batwa community in Mikingo Village, Southern Division, Kisoro Municipality today formed a Community Based Association that will help them lobby and advocate for Government Support.
Mikingo Batwa Development Foundation, is an advocacy group that was started with the support of the Kisoro Municipal Principal Community Development Officer, Birungi Front.
According to Birungi, the Batwa living within the Municipality have over time, become a serious menace to people aiming to develop their lives and businesses.
Birungi says due to a poor mindset among the Batwa, they have opted to begging and stealing from people’s gardens.
Recent reports indicate that some Batwa within the town have been breaking into people’s homes to steal while others have been tampering with people’s car in order to release the tire pressure and then steal side mirrors.
He believes forming an association for Batwa who are active and willing to change their mindset is welcome to join the advocacy group.
“The first order of business for the Batwa in Mikingo is to help them get National Identity Cards to help them have access to Government programs including PDM, YLP, EMYOOGA and UWEP among other services”, Birungi explained.
Birungi also mentioned that a fundraising drive to get the Batwa old clothes and shoes will be launched soon to ensure the Batwa can look decent as they prepare to select good enterprise projects for the future.
The committee members include Kabeni Robert (Chairperson), Guriro Francis (Vice Chairperson), Nyiramugisha Shallon (Treasurer), Faridah Nashaba (Publicity) and Tuyisenge Elisa (mobiliser) among others.
Faridah Nashaba said the Batwa of Mikingo are often misunderstood and called criminals which is not true.
She said many other tribes including the Banyankole and Baganda come in the cover of night to access young Batwa girls.
Others commit crimes and hide amongst innocent Mikingo Batwa.
Nashaba further called on the Government to introduce programs where Batwa children can access to education with boarding section to keep the young ones from getting addicted to drinking alcohol and sniffing petrol.
Ndagije Hussein, Mikingo LCI Chairperson said the Batwa in Mikingo should use the opportunity to develop themselves by embracing Government programs and change from a life of poverty to a life of success.
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