The Okapi Reserve

Category: Community Work, Epulu, Mbuti Pygmies | Date: Apr 15 2007 | By: admin

A PART OF THE MBUTIE’S SALARY is distributed as food rations. The total of 10 kg of rice, 3 kg of beans, 3 bottles of palm oil, 1 bar of soap, 1 kg of salt and 4 tobacco leaves are divided up three times a month for every Mbuti.Those days are party days for the entire family which is present when the distribution takes place.

Preparation ration Rice, Beans, Soap and Salt

This Orange looking mass is palm oil

This is the local tobacco which the Mbuties love to smoke probably anti smoking campaigns wouldn’t be successfull.

The value of the ration for the Mbuties is almost equal to their salary.They definitely have a different relation to money than we do. Unfortunately many of them are illiterate and lost if it comes up counting money. Their employment contributes to local economic development, as many people benefit from their money when they purchase goods. It improves their livelihood, in terms of managing their money, in addition to the traditional hunting, gathering and swopping lifestyle. That’s why together with them we came up with the food solution and they appreciate this arrangement.

Woman and children are patiently waiting for their ration

She was not sure when I took her picture but was smiling when she saw herself on the screen