In February, African Road Executive Director Kelly Bean traveled to Burundi for an inspiring working trip. One incredible highlight was walking 14 acres of newly purchased land in Mwendo Village. The African Road community banded together to raise funds for this strategic investment in the work of Evariste Ndikumana as he and his team empower indigenous Batwa people for a better future.
In the past few years Evariste has shaped a vision with laser focus on demonstrating the capacity of the indigenous people, and showing how Batwa communities can lift themselves up, and lead the way out of extreme poverty in Burundi. A key component of this vision is to establish a model cultural village or demonstration village which can show what is possible. This vision also includes a training center for others who are looking to lead transformative change. Evariste is calling this vision ‘The Dream Village.’
The long term vision for The Dream Village includes a training center for vocational skills but also for conferences and learning and a cultural and traditional arts center (along with simple guest housing as there are not suitable accommodations at all nearby.) ASSEJEBA (Evariste’s organization) has just secured an exciting partnership with Hope Africa University in Burundi and they are working to solidify a partnership through the EU with a university in Spain.
These new partners would like to partner with ASSEJEBA toward their goals, sending students and researchers to support and track data for this remarkable vision. Model permaculture and income producing projects, good housing, health care and more are all part of the long term vision.
Building the dream
To make this expansive dream a possibility, expanding the land for Mwendo was needed. Evariste identified a large parcel of land immediately alongside Mwendo as essential for this dream to fully form. This fourteen acre parcel of land became available for purchase in late 2025.
Ironically, this land has become highly desirable and interesting to others as well due to the success of the Batwa-run Mwendo school with some of the highest test scores in the country, and with fresh clean water. People from other parts of the country are being drawn to the area and are purchasing property. Evariste felt a well placed sense of urgency to secure this land for The Dream Village.
Friends from near and far joined together and by mid-March the funds were raised, and the land was purchased for the village. The Batwa indigenous people are the original people of Burundi. For centuries they lived in the ancient forests, living on the resources of the land and thriving in their traditional practices.
In the last decades, the forests have been declared not for human habitation and the Batwa have been systematically evicted from the forest leaving them landless and not equipped for survival. Land ownership is everything when it comes to rooted advancement. Even more importantly, this purchase is a step forward in setting history toward justice and empowerment for the Batwa people. Thank you friends for standing with Evariste and his legacy vision as it takes shape.
The indigenous Batwa
The Batwa indigenous people are the original people of Burundi. For centuries they lived in the ancient forests, living on the resources of the land and thriving in their traditional practices. In the last decades, the forests have been declared not for human habitation and the Batwa have been systematically evicted from the forest leaving them landless and not equipped for survival.
Land ownership is everything when it comes to rooted advancement. Even more importantly, this purchase is a step forward in setting history toward justice and empowerment for the Batwa people. Thank you friends for standing with Evariste and his legacy vision as it takes shape.