Batwa Villages:
The Dairy Project
The Batwa people are an ethnic minority that is often marginalized and considered an afterthought in Burundi. As the migratory nature of their traditional lifestyle became less feasible, the Batwa people formed villages. Dr. Aline, our partner at the Gitega Health Centre, taught agriculture while CC4Africa assisted with supplying seed and some animals.
A CRIB administrator, Evariste, led the Dairy Project, which aimed to assist isolated villages in becoming self-sustaining between 2008 and 2010. CC4Africa raised start-up costs to buy milk cows, goats and chickens. Equipment for transporting milk from the upcountry was also purchased. Board members then taught interested locals how to make cheese with the excess milk being produced.
In this social enterprise, locals brought their milk in exchange for seed & grain credit chits that went to diversify family nutrition. This program is largely self-supporting.
Oh, and they made ice cream together--a first for many of the locals!