Children Waiting for Their Morning Porridge in Bwindi

Tourism in Uganda is not just about gorillas and game drives. It is about people. The communities living around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park have a complex relationship with the forest — it is their neighbor, their resource, their heritage, and sometimes their challenge. At Misty Gorilla Expeditions, we believe that responsible tourism means connecting travelers with these communities in a meaningful way.

The HopeKitchen

The HopeKitchen is a community feeding project in Buhoma village, run in partnership with Hope on the road gGmbH, a registered German nonprofit. Every school morning, children from the surrounding villages walk to the kitchen, where they receive a nutritious porridge before heading to class.

For many of these children, this is the only guaranteed meal of the day. Their families are subsistence farmers, and food security depends on the season. The HopeKitchen provides stability — and the simple assurance that no child sits through morning lessons on an empty stomach.

“When children eat before school, they concentrate better, attend more regularly, and their grades improve. It sounds simple because it is simple. But the impact is enormous.”

What Visitors Experience

Guests who visit the HopeKitchen are not spectators — they are participants. They help serve porridge, sit with the children, and hear their stories. Some children will shyly practice their English; others will show off their school notebooks with pride.

It is the kind of experience that no guidebook can prepare you for. It is real, it is unscripted, and it stays with you long after you leave Uganda.

About Buhoma Village

Buhoma is a small village at the northern entrance of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. It is the main base for gorilla trekking and has a growing collection of lodges, guesthouses, and community organizations. Unlike many safari destinations, Buhoma has managed to develop tourism in a way that directly benefits local families.

• Population of approximately 3,000 people in the wider Buhoma area
• Primary gateway to Bwindi's Buhoma gorilla trekking sector
• Home to community craft cooperatives, cultural dance groups, and the HopeKitchen
• Several eco-lodges that employ local staff and source food from nearby farms
• Walking distance to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest trailhead

How Tourism Helps

Every guest who visits the HopeKitchen contributes to its operation. But beyond that, the broader presence of tourism in Buhoma creates jobs, demand for local produce, and a reason for young people to stay in the village rather than migrate to cities. Tourism, done right, is the best conservation tool there is — because it gives local communities a direct economic reason to protect the forest and its gorillas.

Travel Tips

A HopeKitchen visit is included in our Gorilla Encounter, Best of West Uganda, and Uganda With Purpose safaris. It takes about one hour and happens in the morning before gorilla trekking. No special preparation is needed — just an open heart.