My Nonprofit Reviews

For over 15 years, I have known about the Kellermann Foundation (KF) and its namesake Dr. Scott and Carol Kellermann. I knew the story of the Batwa (of Bwindi) and how the non-profit helped them, but I wasn't aware of the details regarding the Batwa's ongoing needs or how KF supported those needs.
In 2018 I visited Bwindi along with 7 other members of our Dallas-based Mission team. It was then that I learned more about their struggles and the devoted people that have dedicated their lives to help the Batwa thrive. Through the love, dedication and generosity of many, there is a wonderful hospital, a nursing school*, a craft-banda* where hand-made Batwa products are sold, 10 Batwa settlements, schools and much more.
This past summer (2022) our Dallas-based team had the great fortune to make the trip again. Even with Covid having impacted the Batwa leadership, they are still investigating new ideas and striving to make decisions that will improve the lives of the Batwa. One particular innovation they are employing is the interlocking brick*. This substantial and complex building-block is created by compressing native soil, cement and water and then letting it harden by simply drying in the sun. No clearing and burning of vegetation is needed to fire the units, as previous bricks required. The interlocking nature means the assembled bricks create a cohesively-built 4-room home that will endure for many years beyond what previous structural-options offered. (In 2018 we financed and assisted in the building of a mud and stick home*, that at the time was THE way to go.) It is humbling to see the combination of great love and thoughtful-intelligence in action. This year when our team financed 2 homes and helped in the construction of 1 of them, we felt better about the greater resiliency of the newer buildings.