About ICEO (International Conservationist Echuya Organization)
🌍 About ICEO (International Conservationist Echuya Organization)
Founded: July 2020
Founder: Kankyimusimire Elizabeth
Headquarters: Rubanda District, Uganda
The International Conservationist Echuya Organization (ICEO) is a registered community-based organization (CBO) dedicated to protecting the Echuya Forest Reserve and uplifting the lives of the Batwa and local communities who live around it.
Our vision is to conserve Echuya’s biodiversity through sustainable tourism, agriculture, and education—empowering vulnerable and needy children and their families to thrive.
🌱 Our Story
Long before 1939, Echuya Forest served as the “granary” of the Batwa and local people—providing them with meat, vegetables, fruits, herbal medicine, and shelter. It was home to elephants, antelopes, warthogs, baboons, blue monkeys, and countless plant species.
In 1939, the forest was gazetted as a central forest reserve, and the Batwa were evicted from their ancestral land. This displacement caused widespread malnutrition, poverty, and loss of livelihoods. Over the years, much of the wildlife disappeared, and the communities suffered severe marginalization.
In July 2020, inspired by this history and the urgent need to protect the forest’s biodiversity, Kankyimusimire Elizabeth founded ICEO. What began as a small savings and credit group (ASCA) of Batwa and local people has grown into a conservation-driven organization working to restore ecosystems, promote sustainable tourism, and fight poverty through education and agriculture.
🌏 Our Impact
ICEO has:
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Equipped over 1000 local residents and Batwa with tourism and conservation skills.
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Partnered with organizations such as SNV through the ISDAP Program in Rubuguri Town Council.
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Engaged in wildlife data collection and tourism promotion to protect endangered species and re-energize local economies.
💚 Our Mission
“To conserve Echuya Forest and its biodiversity through sustainable tourism, agriculture, and education, while empowering the Batwa and local communities to build resilient, dignified lives.”
"Together, we can restore hope and build a future where every child, woman, and community thrives."
