Bwindi Forest is home to a fantastic diversity of flora and fauna, including some exotic plants and rare and endangered animals. The forest was also home to the Batwa (formerly called pygmies). These indigenous people were the original dwellers of the ancient forest and were known as the ‘keepers of the forest.' The Batwa lived in harmony with the forest and survived by hunting small game using a bow and arrow and gathering plants for both food and medicinal purposes.

In 1992, the lives of the Batwa changed forever when the forest became a national park and UNESCO world heritage site to protect the endangered mountain gorillas. The Batwa were evicted from the park and became conservation refugees in a world that was very unfamiliar to them. Their skills and means of subsistence were not useful in this modern environment and they began to suffer.

In 2001, when the Batwa tribe was on the edge of extinction American medical missionaries, Dr. Scott and Carol Kellermann came to their rescue. They purchased land and established programs to improve the conditions and lives of the Batwa. This included the building of a school, hospital and housing. The Kellermanns also developed water and sanitation projects and found ways that the Batwa could generate income and sustain themselves.