What is Banyabutumbi Cultural Heritage Organization-Kanungu (BACHO-K)

BACHO is a  nonprofit organization (CBO/NGO) located in Ncwera cell, Rwenshama parish, Bwambara Sub County-Rukungiri District, Southwester Uganda. It was registered on June 29, 2017, with the Rukungiri District Local Government (registration number 2076), and with the Kanungu District Local government (registration number 2424/21)

BACHO was founded with the purpose of solving conservation challenges in these 2 districts while promoting community welfare and health.

Vision

To restore and sustain the Banyabutumbi traditional practices as a minority group with a focus on environmental sustainability in Western Uganda.

Mission

To organize and educate the Banyabatumbi Community on conserving their traditional cultural practices for future generation and to promote environmental conservation and community welfare.

 Objectives

• Work with the Banyabutumbi communities in the promotion and protection of their traditional practices for the purposes of environmental conservation and community welfare.
• Collaborate with other organizations that work on environmental conservation, cultural heritage and community and household welfare.

Origin of BACHO

The call for its existence emerged from the community suffering as a result of protected natural resources around the area. Rwenshama is a fishing village adjacent to Lake Edward, within the boundaries of  Queen Elizabeth National Park. For the people living in these protected natural resources,  instead of looking at them as an opportunity, they feel they are problems to them. The reasons are multiple. Wild animals in Queen Elizabeth National park destroy their gardens, attack their houses and families, kill community members or domestic animals, and make their travels from one place to another insecure both at day and night. This also affects their access to healthcare, because walking long distances to a health facility is dangerous, and hiring a car is expensive.
Because of these challenges, communities have neglected conservation of these natural resources.  A number of members decided to do something about it, and formed BACHO as a local Community-Based Organization,  to work with the communities to conserve nature for the benefit of us all and to empower the local community with the resources to help themselves.

Founders of BACHO:

Akiikih Appollo: Founder and Executive Director of BACHO

Akiikih holds a Bachelors degree In public Administration and Management of Uganda Christian University at Mukono. He always had high interest in music, dance and drama. He witnessed the extremely dire condition at Rwenshema and founded BACHO with the hope of helping the local community, including by also preserving their culture and promoting co-existence with nature.

Akiikih manages the day-to-day programs of BACHO. He also trains the Lake Edward Cultural Performers.

Frank Namara: General Secretary of BACHO-K

Frank grew up in an environment where people frequently experience traumatic conditions from the wild animals from Queen Elizabeth National Park, and the dangers of fishing on Lake Edward. He witnessed how many orphans and other vulnerable children face severe traumatic challenges as a result of HIV/AIDS, homelessness, hunger, malnutrition, poor health and lack of access to education.

Frank is a professional Social Worker with a Bachelors’ Degree in Social Work and Social Administration from Nkumba University-Kampala 2011, Post Graduate in Law from Law Development Centre-Kampala 2011, Masters Degree in Social Work from Uganda Christian University, 2018 and PhD Candidate-Nkumba University-Kampala holted due to school fees problems. Frank has served, on top of being the General Secretary of BACHO-K, as a Lecturer, Head of Department-Social Sciences, Dean of Students, Deputy University Secretary at Great Lakes Regional University. Currently he works as a University Secretary at the same University.