This was just some of the many items supplied by IW members for International charities at the recent International Rally. Members enjoyed a lovely afternon tea whilst hearing updates from the charities District 6 is working  with. 

WE DID IT! – raised the £2,830 needed for phase 1 of the Batwa Project in just over 12 months.

The Batwa Project was the District 6 international charity for 2016/17 and an enormous thank you goes to everyone who helped in any way to chieve our fundraising target. The Bees Abroad Batwa Project will be the District International charity for District 6 again this year, so watch this space to see how we can continue to help the Batwa.

These are just a few of the items delivered on our behalf by Valerie Redfern, member of the Association International Service Committee, to Aquabox to be sent out to areas needing emergency support.

Pictured are 83 teddies that were delivered by Valerie delivered to School In A Bag from District 6!

Our International Service Chairman Sandra has selected Bees Abroad as the International Charity for District 6.

Bees Abroad are a small UK-registered charity seeking to reduce poverty through beekeeping. Volunteer Project Managers assess and support beekeeping projects in developing countries worldwide. They use their expertise, working in the local community group to develop a viable project using indigenous bees and techniques appropriate for each location. Bees Abroad projects are normally self-sustaining after five years and no longer dependent on external finance and mentoring.

The project District 6 is sponsoring will support groups of Batwa pigmies living in extreme poverty who have been evicted from their ancestral forest homeland. They desperately need the income that beekeeping can provide to improve their circumstances.

The Batwa tribe were evicted from the Bwindi Impenetrable rainforest in 1980 to protect one of the only two remaining populations of mountain gorillas in the world. Until their eviction this tribe of pygmies had lived as hunter gatherers largely untouched the modern world. Amongst other things they used to hunt for and gather honey from bees in the forest. The Ugandan government provided no land or support following the eviction. 

The project is expected to last some two to three years and the budget is £2,830. There is ample opportunity to extend the project once the first stages are completed successfully.  

Sandra is sure all District 6 members will give their time, energy and commitment to improve the lives of the Batwa people.  So let’s get busy…….