L
Lakes
Uganda has them in abundance and so many are beautiful, Lakes Victoria, Albert, Edward, George and Kyoga are the large lakes. We have also visited Lake Bunyoni, Lake Mutanda and Lake Mburo among other smaller ones.
Lake Bunyoni
Lake Mutanda
Lake Victoria at Entebbe
Lugandan
The language spoken by the Baganda people of the central area, which includes Kampala. Many of the volunteers based in Kampala have learnt the basics but with 9 different languages spoken in the areas I've worked I've not learnt much. The most useful words are:
Ssebo - Man or sir, used to address everyone
Nyabo - Women
Weebale - Thank you
Kali - OK
Land Rights
A key area of work within the Sustainable Livelihoods programme I've been working with. As pressure on land increases with the growing population then more land conflicts are breaking out. Much of the land is unregistered so establishing ownership involves working back through the family tree to see who gave which bits to who, when and why.
M
Matatu
A main form of transport around Kampala and other towns and also between the towns. Generally referred to as Taxis these 14 seat minibuses travel when they are full on unwritten routes so you need some local knowledge to use them. The fares are cheap, 1,200 UGX to get from where we live into the city centre or just over 20p.
Mango
Mangos are one of my favourite fruits in the UK so living in a country where they literally grow on trees is a real bonus. Every village has a mango tree, it's wide shade makes it ideal as a meeting tree where the whole village can meet to discuss issues in the shade. In May and June mangos are everywhere, with a second season in December and January.
Mountains
Uganda is home to the Rwenzori mountains, the highest mountain range in Africa. The highest peak, Mount Stanley, at 5,110 metres is the 3rd highest mountain in Africa after Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya. Rwenzori means 'Rain Maker' and it is not easy to get a good view of the mountains as they are usually covered in clouds and mist. Several companies offer treks in the area of the mountains, which sound lovely but very hard work.
N
Nile
The Nile comes out from Lake Victoria at Jinja and crosses through the centre of Uganda creating a giant swampy lake area which is virtually impassible. The road north crosses the Nile at Karuma falls then the river goes over the Murchison Falls, giving the park it's name, into Lake Albert and out heading north again. The Nile cuts the West Nile region off from the rest of Uganda with only one bridge at Pacwach and some ferries further north. From Uganda the Nile goes on into South Sudan, Sudan and Egypt.
Crossing the Nile over the Owen Falls Dam in Jinja
Nilotic Languages
The natural barrier of the Nile is also a cultural divide between the Bantu people in the south of Uganda and the Nilotic people in the north. The different groups have very different languages so a Lugandan speaker from Kampala wouldn't be able to understand a Luo speaker from Gulu. Traditional dances, songs and costume from the different areas are also very different.
O
Opportunities
The southern area of Uganda is beginning to prosper, although the development is not spread evenly. There is a growing middle class in Kampala and poverty levels are reducing. However, the same is not true in the north of the country where life is still a struggle.
P
Pearl of Africa
Winston Churchill called Uganda the Pearl of Africa after a visit here. Uganda is very proud of the title and you see it everywhere in hotel and restaurant names, book titles and public buildings. As well as the beautiful scenery Uganda has very welcoming, friendly people.
Population Growth
The average age in Uganda is around 15 and the population growth is around 4% per annum with families generally having 5 or 6 children. A young population gives great opportunities but only if the youth are engaged and employable. The focus of several VSO projects in the north of the country has been on training young people in vocational skills.
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