Bwindi-Buhoma United Reformed Poachers Initiative project is a well-known as a conservation program, which involves all reformed poacher on a daily basis working rotating.
This Community Based Organisation prepares and teaches fellow reformed poachers alternative income generating activities rather than hunting for food and sell of wild meat. This project can be accessed by tourists and this gives direct support to the reformed poachers to earn a living while improving their household’s income.Our mission: Reforming traditional poachers for sustainable livelihood activities
Bwindi-Buhoma United Reformed Poachers Initiative project was founded and is registered with the Government of Uganda in 2019 by Mr. Robert Byarugaba who is the Founding Director. It is based in Buhoma, a prime destination for gorilla tours in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Vision: To unite and develop re-known people with historical heritage while reducing conservation threats
Project Goal: To have zero poaching and improved livelihoods of reformed poachers
Objectives are:
• Unite and reform poachers
• Provide reformed poacher experience for tourism attraction
• Promote gorilla conservation by engaging locals in wildlife conservation
• Improve community livelihoods
Currently these reformed poachers need support so that they can start alternative projects to keep them busy hence stopping them from going back into the Bwindi forest to hunt for wild meat. For example, Silverback Rafiki: Mountain Gorilla was Killed on June 13th, 2020. Rafiki was the lead and only silverback of Nkuringo group in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda.
The CBO works hard to sensitize and convince these remaining notorious hunters / poachers to join the group (Bwindi-Buhoma United Reformed Poachers Initiative). Through this organisation, former poachers are helped them start alternative projects such as
- Goat Keeping
- Piggery
- Coffee plantation
- Mushroom growing
- Bee Keeping (honey production)
- Sanitation and hygiene
- Indigenous Business Tree planting
- Fish farming
This Bwindi-Buhoma United Reformed Poachers Initiative project, which is mainly supported by the local settlers, expecting funds from International donors, has an aim of reforming traditional hunters so that they engage in other more sustainable income generating activities.
This project has 200 members who are now acting as the community educators. When you book to attend to the Bwindi Reformed Poacher Experience Walk (before/after gorilla trekking), you will be provided with historical knowledge and also see physically on how they used to set different snare traps that kill wildlife.
This Community Based Organization in Bwindi, Uganda. Promoting and creating Reformed Poachers’ Alternative Income generating activity rather than hunting for food and selling wild meat.
The organization welcomes all Volunteers to join our causes of Promoting and creating Reformed Poachers Awareness. You can help us by supporting one of the programs that we are doing.