How it started

Founded by Stan Jensen, Batwa Freedom and Security Development Agency (BFSDA), a Canadian NGO, was registered in 2021 to extend socioeconomic support to the Batwa people in Uganda and her neighbouring countries. Numbering about 120,000, the Batwa people in East and Central Africa are some of the most marginalized indigenous peoples in the world. Batwa people were forced to leave their ancestral land for many years and continue to experience various Human Rights violations, including marginalization, poverty, malnutrition, and violence today. FSDA works towards improving the living standards of the Batwa people, who are underserved and discriminated against.

The organization’s goal is to promote health, education, suitable housing, economic status, and most importantly, the life span of the Batwa people. Life expectancy is 28, compared with a Ugandan average of 53, and 38 percent of Batwa children die before the age of five, compared with a Ugandan average of 18 percent. The organization is a non-profit organization funded by donors and well-wishers. BFSDA also fundraises through GOFUNDME goes supports campaigns and grants.