The Batwa Development Program (BDP) was formed to “help the Batwa help themselves" and exists to address the root causes of extreme poverty and poor health of the Batwa. The Batwa lived for millennia in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest as skilled hunters and gatherers who utilized every part of the forest, including bark for their clothing and trees for protective shelter. When they were displaced from the forest in 1991, they were given no land or compensation. They existed on the fringes of society, sometimes starving, with no land of their own, no history of formal education, limited job skills, and few options for improving their lives. With the help of the BDP, Batwa representatives from each of the 11 settlements now help guide the work of achieving ongoing goals and programs, including education, housing, income production, cultural preservation, agriculture, and spiritual outreach.