V
Victoria
Lake Victoria, the Victoria Nile and so many lakes named after Queen Victoria's family (Albert, George, Edward etc.) mean that you can't really escape from the Victorian explorers who 'discovered' Uganda. Lake Victoria is huge and is a key feature in the south east with towns such as Kampala, Entebbe and Jinja on the shoreline. The lake helps to regulate the climate in the Kampala area and the south east, providing more regular rainfall throughout the year and keeping the temperature more moderate than further north.
Many people make a living from fishing on the lake.
It is also a great place for bird watching
We saw this family of Grey Crested Crane on the shores of the lake on our final day in Uganda
There is an ongoing battle to stop the lake silting up and being turned into marshland by plants such as papyrus. This is great for the shoebill, which lives in these swampy areas, but not so good for the local population and especially people making a living from fishing. The lake is also notorious for bilharzia.
W
War
The north of Uganda is still recovering from 20 years of war, which only finished in 2006. Many people have returned to their homes from IDP camps (Internally Displaced Persons) after many years away. Working out what land belongs to who and also training people in agricultural skills are key parts of the sustainable livelihoods programme I have been working with.
Welcome
Ugandan people must be some of the most welcoming in the world. Everywhere we went we were made to feel genuinely welcome. Even returning to the flat after working away for a week our neighbours would all say 'Welcome back'.
Wildlife
Uganda is a great place to visit to see wildlife. It is one of the best places in the world for bird watching and along with Rwanda and DRC home to the last remaining Mountain Gorillas. The parks are smaller than their better known neighbours in Kenya and Tanzania, but much less touristy making a safari drive a really special experience.
X
eXtra
The extra special memory of Uganda is of the many friends we made and the people we met there.
Y
Youth
Uganda has one of the youngest populations in the world. The average age is around 15 with well over 80% of the populations officially defined as 'youth' (i.e. under 35). The number of young people gives the country a vibrancy not found in countries with an older population. Around 400,000 young people join the job market every year but there are very few jobs for them. Most join the informal economy driving bodas or selling from wheelbarrows or just what they can carry. There are tremendous opportunities for Uganda from their young population but also risks if there is not enough work and the young people become disengaged with society.
Z
Zebra
There are wild zebra in Lake Mburo and Kidepo national parks. We saw lots of zebra in Lake Mburo on our two visits. Interestingly we saw many more zebra in Uganda than horses, which are very rare.
