I am more than happy that with the camera and the photography skills in I, I am able to tell my story and at the same time write my History and bring to you #TruthFromAfrica live from the Eastern part of the Pearl of Africa.
If you have ever been to Tanzania, you could agree with me that Zanzibar is a beautiful space and this I came to realize on my visit to Jinja as I critically looked at the ancient town through my camera's lens.
For those that are interested in knowing what Jinja means, it's the indigenous word for a stone and so many of the young people that live in this town or are originally from there, prefer to refer to the beautiful and naturally blessed space as "Stone Town." Now you can agree with me that Uganda has a Stone Town too.
How can you visit Uganda and fail to visit Jinja in the Eastern part of the country? What would you tell your people back at home about the Pearl of Africa? How would you stand the fact that you missed to set feet on R.Nile? Remember alot goes on in this town. Lots of tourists looking for where to spend time bird watching, all water sports, various camping sites, restaurants, beautiful hotels and cottages, organic food. Did I mention that the people are super friendly and willing to share their stories? Yes they are. So while there, do not hesitate to share your story with them and carry theirs with you as you leave. Knowledge is there to be shared.
If you want to head to Bujagali side from Jinja town and you have no car or you don't want to use one, you could walk there though it would take you some minutes and also the road might be very dusty. The best way though to get there is by a motor bike (Boda bodas in Uganda) and you can only pay 5,000 UGX which is an equivalent of $2.
As you enjoy your time in Jinja, make it a point to collect as many stories from people. Get to know their staple food, the languages they speak, family structure, religious status and the likes. You might be aware that in Uganda we don't wear Rolex, we eat them. So order for one at the nearest stand wherever you are.
As I captured the chameleon moment, I thought of the beautiful hot and wet Ugandan climate. It could shine at one point or even rain. Who says it doesn't rain and shine at the same time in Uganda? I am more than happy that this is the land where I was born and I will forever love and cherish this country.
Looking at this young girl with the goat, I wondered how many hours she had spent with it and whether that is what she did on a daily basis. I also thought about child labor and the future of such a young girl that is considered the future of that village. Wouldn't her age mates be in school studying and acquiring knowledge and skills? Yes this is just one case but there are many kids in the villages that are either denied the right to education, the parents can not afford to keep them in schools, or even the school facilities do not favor the pupils and students. You might have heard of young girls refusing to go to school reason being they are having their periods and they have no sanitary pads and so all they can do is to stay at home and sit on the rocks to dry the blood. Some of the female teachers too suffer the same challenge. While in their periods, they don't want to show up at school because they can't afford the pads too. But thanks to the various organizations in various villages around Uganda that are right now teaching these young girls, their teachers and other women how to produce reusable sanitary pads.
The faces of those kids don't show like they are having fun because they were working trying to fish so that they could put food on their families tables. Imagine kids at that age having to win bread for their family. That is why, wherever you put such a kid, they will always manage to survive or forge a way out because at such a tender age, they seen and gone through alot.
Looking at that kid's head and the way it was trimmed. It reminded me of back in the days where Salons in rural areas had less or no shavers and trimming machines and all that one could use was either a razor blade, sharp broken bottle and I hear some used and still use ash to replace the shavers.
While in Jinja, you will see alot of green and will you in other parts of the country. In the photo is a man up a guava tree enjoying the organic sweet guavas.
If you look at that photo of this your boy fishing, what kind of thoughts do you think are running in his mind? What dreams could he be carrying? Do not be shocked when you find him in a better place years to come. The idea behind that is that people like we weren't born in castles or mansions but we made it to where we are now.
As people in other spaces yearn for a hot bath, these young people were enjoying their own.
Below are photos of Eden Rock.
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