Among the first inhabitants in the Kisoro region, the village of Bitongo “the abandoned place” is made up of subsistence farmers in an area lying at the base of the Virunga mountains. The community lives in extreme poverty with average household incomes less than 40 cents a day ,but they are organised and motivated to make change happen and to put in the work. Community leaders have identified a need for clean drinking water and education (especially post primary/ vocational) with less than 30% of women receiving primary levels of education and over 85% illiteracy rates among women. The community has pooled their resources to acquire a plot of land which would provide space to house initiatives.

Raising The Village is working with Bitongo villagers to create a locally managed water catchment system that will provide access to clean water and decrease incidences of water borne illnesses such as diarrhea. Raising The Village will teach women in the community to manage a goat cooperative that will empower women to become active participants in the community and increase average income in the household. Resource management and agricultural training will help increase the capacity within this village, making it a hub for economic activity and poverty reduction for the entire Kisoro region.