I wanted to see inside the hut, get a glimpse of how they live. With permission to do so, I waded through the children to the only door and came eye to eye with a small mother wearing a New York tee shirt, long skirt, and ski hat. She was not smiling. I imagined she felt embarrassed, maybe annoyed by our intrusion. She was standing by a hammock that was the bed for her and her husband, and under which the children slept. In one corner was a young boy stirring a fire. Other than a large bag of grain and some cooking pans there was nothing else in this bare floor residence.

I thanked her for letting us visit and for letting me take some photos. As I was leaving the hut a young child looked up at me and whispered, “money.” I didn’t have a cent – I had given my last bit of cash to an elder at the school in appreciation for the entertainment, not knowing we would be going further to a residence. I felt awful, embarrassed I had not considered bringing enough tip money for unexpected experiences, but I also felt a kind of shame noting the disparity in comparing this level of poverty to my good fortune, which allows me to travel around the world and stay in comfortable lodges and feast several times a day. I vowed to myself I would give them money through a charity once I got home.

Though the grand finale of the trip, the actual trekking to find the magnificent gorilla families was challenging but truly remarkable and memorable, my focus remained on the plight of the Batwa.

In the gift shop at Four Gorillas Lodge there was some art work for sale. I was especially impressed with a few gorilla scribbles with magnificent amber eyes and wanted to purchase one, but as mentioned I had no cash, and I learned there was no ATM and the credit card machine was not working. I took a photo of one of the scribbles, which included the artist’s name, Kaplan Gadson.

Once back home I googled Kaplan Gadson, learned he had a social media account, and I sent him a message, not really expecting a response. But he did respond! He shared pics of some of his pieces, two of which are now framed and hanging in my home here in Pennsylvania. In the course of our discussions Kaplan shared that he was involved with art and music education—drawing, painting, pottery, choir—including working with disadvantaged children in Buhoma, Uganda.

I asked if he had any contacts with the Batwa in Rushaga, three hours drive from Buhoma, and although he said he had no direct contact with them he mention a friend, Frank Turahukire, who was the manager of Four Gorilla’s Lodge, where we stayed on our tour and where I first saw Kaplan’s artwork! Frank said he knew of the exact Batwa family we visited in January 2025. I now had a direct path to that family I met and the people whose story so moved me.

And so it began.