A three-year project that started in April 2016 on Local economic development through a “pro-poor” gorilla tourism approach in Uganda funded by the Darwin Initiative through IIED with a grant of GBP 59,856 at ITFC is to be completed in 2019. The project works with the local people and established Uganda tour operators to develop new pro-poor tourism products and services around Bwindi's impenetrable national park in Uganda.
The project aims at adding value to the products produced by local people around Bwindi national park through training such that they produce highly demanded products by the tourists and to increase more nights the tourists spend in Uganda. The tourists will apart from going to track gorillas, also go to the communities and see and buy local community products thereby increasing revenues to the local people.