Batwa of Kisoro Hill tragedy.

It was a miracle the day 6 women from the town of Kyanika rode into Kisoro Hill on a weekend in March . Never before had the Batwa community been visited by local friends. Never before had women come to greet a new baby of the community. At Plant Fruit we were so proud to have facilitated their friendship by breaking down the stigma that is born in misunderstanding. When women learn sewing together they are all just seamstresses. No one worries about which tribe the seamstress belongs to. Friendships are naturally formed over the fabric, the struggles to create. That new baby, Hafasha, brought hope to the Batwa and the women of Kyanika. She was a special link between them that day.

We know the statistics: Batwa mortality rates are very high. 40% of Batwa children don't reach age 5. On Friday, 4/14/23, our seamstress, Donata, woke to find her baby not breathing. That link, that tiny baby, Hafasha, had died. We are told Donata is "strong, but dying on the inside. " We mourn the loss of another Batwa child. We grieve with her mother and father, along with all of the sewing students who are affected by this event. We wish them lighter hearts soon.