Bigodi Women’s Group

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Bigodi Women’s Group is a community initiative situated about 40 kilometers south of the town of Fort Portal, and borders Kibale National Park, which has the highest density of primate life in the world in its forests. The strategic location overlooking the highlands of western Uganda in the shadow of the Rwenzori Mountains, the famous “Mountains of the Moon is an added advantage to the tourism related purpose of the group.

Bigodi Women’s Group is a member of Rural and Environmental Development (KAFRED) a registered community based organization (CBO) with over 120 members.

Since 1992, the people of Bigodi have worked together as a community to open our natural beauty to eco-tourists and to bring our crafts and handiwork to the world. Bigodi Dancers demonstrate the best of their local culture through a lively hour-long performance, incorporating drama, dance, hand-made musical instruments and riddles.

The group sells baskets, mats, bags, recycled paper jewelry and other crafts at the Wetland Sanctuary office in Bigodi trading center, and also export some overseas. To make the crafts, the women use local materials such as millet straw, banana fibres (these two are agricultural waste), raffia and Phoenix palm leaves, papyrus plants and natural dyes, all from plants that the women grow themselves at their homes.

Highlights

The peanut butter making project visit.
Staying in a local homestead and sharing everything with a local family ranging from cooking until you eat and sleep under one roof if you wish.
Crafts weaving demonstration with the women and purchasing one crafts that you can show back home after your trip.
Visiting the local nursery school supported by the women’s project using the revenue from crafts.

Responsible Travel

Sustainable use of natural fibers some of which are collected from the local forest
Part of the revenue from the crafts support a local nursery school that has been established by the women’s group
The traditional dance and village tour conserves the local culture through communication of the cultural norms, generating of income and eventually the local people feeling proud of their culture considering the reason to conserve it.
Providing skills training to the women in crafts production and other living skills.

How to get there:

Bigodi is located about 35km from fort portal on Kamwenge road. Drive past the national park on the side of Bigodi trading center.

Contacts for more information:

Contact to buy crafts or visit the community can be done through KAFRED or called directly on the following information

Betty Tinka, Women’s Group Chair

+256 (0) 77 246 8113

Email: comm-tour@infocom.co.ug

Or contact:

UCOTA/Pearls of Uganda

Phone: +256(0)414-501-866/+256(0)772-657-700

E-mail: info@pearlsofuganda.org

Website: www.pearlsofuganda.org