The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest has been home to the Batwa people (pygmies) since before recorded history.
We are dedicated to finding a balance between gorilla conservation and human health for populations that live on the edge of wilderness and that's why we support the Bwindi Ebenezer Nursery and Primary School.
Located in the South-Western region of Uganda in the Kanungu district, right on the peripherals of the famous Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and nearby Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, the Bwindi Ebenezer Primary School currently serves 270 pupils.
The challenge of meeting the educational needs of a growing community, and establishing a new school, can be daunting for any community – and all the more challenging in one of the most remote corners of Uganda. And yet the Ebenezer School operates. Built with a mix of used and donated building supplies, because it’s a new start-up, the school is not yet Government registered and receives no formal government support.
Sanctuary Retreats and our guests, are working to help the parents and teachers at the school build sufficient infrastructure to satisfy Government registration requirements, including: replacing the roof, building three new classrooms, building proper toilets, buying new furniture and text books, and helping to establish baseline salaries for the teachers. The ultimate goal is to help our partners get their new school formally registered with the Ministry of Education, who will then pay teacher salaries and provide school support through formal Ministry channels. We are partners in the process or striving to improve children’s education and safety and continue to help improve the lives of our community partners.