Houses for Batwa Families (Pygmies)
82 families in the 2 villages could access new houses. 70 families are batwa and 12 hutus and tutsi neighbours. By including different tribal groups, it was possible to bring about social integration and peace, and to consolidate a new social relationship among all inhabitants of both villages. One experienced worker was engaged in each of the two villages to supervise activities on daily basis; 40 locally trained builders and carpenters were also involved in the building process. Many of them were batwa who had acquired building skills in the course of these last years. Long before the construction started, Action Batwa began working with the groups, and then visited the site on a day to day basis, providing technical advice to the construction team. The families made sun dried bricks and leveled their plots so the houses could be started. Family contribution was a very important requirement posed by the project to beneficiaries: even those who had difficulties to collaborate had to demonstrate their will and desire to make bricks. Paid manual labour was contracted in the nearby villages, and tiles and beams purchased locally so the neighbours could also benefit from the project. Individual pit latrines will be built during this year. This will greatly improve the hygiene in the villages. AB plans to start some income generating initiatives like brick making, and organize saving schemes to make possible that these families can improve their quality of life and integrate into the Burundian society.
