Mothers-in-Motion, Bwindi, Uganda

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Mothers-in-Motion was started in 2021 by women from Bwindi, Uganda who had no choice but to drop out of school because their families did not have enough resources. Jacinta Jesent Kyompeirwe, who learned traditional African basket weaving from her grandmother, teaches young women the art so they can produce and sell baskets to fund their children's education. Jacinta's group of women has more than doubled from the original 30 weavers, with many more on the wait list. There is a wait list because more baskets have been made than can be sold to the limited number of tourists who come to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to see the mountain gorillas. Once more baskets are sold, more materials can be purchased and more mothers can learn to make baskets. Jacinta believes that they must develop access to markets beyond Bwindi in order to sell more baskets and bring more women into their group.

In the fall of 2024, The Ladybug Project worked with Bernard Munyanziza from Nziza Hospitality, a tourism company in Uganda that operates throughout East Africa, to transport baskets from Bwindi to other markets, including in the United States.  As a result, Mothers-in Motion has increased its sales by more than 500%. The Ladybug Project hopes to continue supporting Mothers-in-Motion  and thereby help children in Bwindi access education.