THE PYGMIES INITIATIVE

The plight of the pygmy population in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) over the past few decades has been an overlooked subject. Pathways to Hope Africa has intervened to help these communities navigate their challenges. PTHA has committed to easing the resettlement process for many in these communities that have endured displacement from their ancestral homes in the Congo forest due to war and conflicts. The pygmy communities have long been marginalized and discriminated against due to their race, and our goal in addressing this issue is to help them rebuild their lives strong and restore dignity. 

Some of the areas of focus are building sustainable frameworks such as our SMART-VILLAGE Initiative in healthcare, agriculture, education, and community infrastructure.

Health

One of the biggest challenges facing the pygmy communities is the lack of access to quality healthcare services. Many suffer from inadequate nutrition, preventable diseases, and high maternal deaths. PTHA is committed to improving the healthcare situation for these communities by setting up clinics and hospitals in their resettlement areas and training local healthcare workers to provide healthcare services to these communities.

Agriculture

Many of the pygmy communities were traditionally hunter-gatherers, but being displaced from their forest community habitations and the need to adapt to a new way of life, we are helping the pygmy communities venture into new agriculture practices, and learn new farming techniques. This includes teaching them about the various stages of crop husbandry, animal husbandry, and sustainable natural resource management and equipping them with the skills to engage therein.

Education

Education is a crucial aspect of our work and is often interwoven within all our programs and projects. We are working alongside various partners and stakeholders to help build schools in the Pygmy communities to provide access to quality education which will help break the cycle of poverty and discrimination by giving the Pygmy children the opportunity to improve their lives through education.

Pathways to Hope Africa is committed to inspiring significant transformation in the lives of the pygmy communities in the eastern DRC. Join us in making a difference by reaching out to find out more about our work in the region.