How can tourism develop Uganda? Podcast interview
How can tourism help Uganda achieve a middle-class economy? ON Uganda podcast interview
Regular Diary of a Muzungu readers know how much conservation, Uganda travel and digital marketing rock my boat so I was honoured when podcast host Aggie Patricia Turwomwe invited me to chat about these subjects and more. The interview gave me a chance to mention some of my favourite organisations: Conservation Through Public Health, Uganda Wildlife Authority and the brilliant free hospitality and tourism training app from the Ukarimu Academy. Oh yes, and my favourite new glitzy Kampala café, Cafesserie Arena Mall!
“Word-of-mouth has morphed into Digital Marketing” podcast interview with Charlotte Beauvoisin
ON Uganda Podcast – UG’s investment podcast – is dedicated 100% to demystify paradigms through its three segments; On Reports, On Sectors, and On Marketing with an aim to become a tool to help Ugandans achieve and thrive in a booming “MIDDLE-CLASS ECONOMY.” Listen along to understand what fuels the wheels of our economy!
Charlotte ‘Nagawa’ Beauvoisin is a writer and trainer that delivers agile and scalable experiences with digital across East Africa. Nagawa writes the award-winning blog Diary of a Muzungu and has contributed to the Bradt Uganda Guidebook, Lonely Planet, Fodor’s Travel, The Daily Telegraph and Horizon Guides.
In this 36 minute podcast interview, recorded in December 2021 in Kampala, Charlotte takes us through:
- The Uganda tourism landscape
- Her start in marketing
- Building capacity for Uganda Wildlife Authority game rangers
- Tourism marketing tools
- Conservation and environmental issues
- Policies that favour/ hinder the tourism sector in Uganda
- GOLD: How the tourism sector can help Uganda achieve a middle class economy.
PODCAST DISCLAIMER from ON Uganda. The views and opinions expressed in the episode are those of the guests. They do not represent or reflect the official position of the ON Uganda Podcast, so we do not take responsibility for any ideas expressed by guest during the Podcast. You are smart enough, take out what works for you.
Listen to this episode on Google Podcasts / Anchor / Apple
Do you enjoy listening to podcasts?
Do you like the English accent? 😆 I’d love to know which podcasts you follow – seriously.
21st century tech to rescue Uganda’s mountain gorillas
Join a mountain gorilla family and contribute to the conservation of this endangered species: launch of My Gorilla Family app and My Gorilla Family Festival, Kampala, Uganda.
A pioneering initiative to protect Uganda’s mountain gorilla population has officially been launched, leveraging technology to create sustainable sources of non-trekking revenues to fund conservation.
“Uganda is absolutely ready for an application and a festival like this. It is time for the world to come and see how much more Uganda has to offer.”
Lily Ajarova, Chief Executive Officer, Uganda Tourism Board
“UWA is mandated to ensure sustainable management of wildlife resources. We are proud to work with our partners to ensure this, but also to educate local communities and people from all over the world about the value of protecting these majestic animals, and keep them for future generations.”
Sam Mwandha, Executive Director, Uganda Wildlife Authority
“As a child, I went hunting in the forest; when the conservation areas were carved out, I grew into a poacher. I am now known as an advocate for conservation and continue to champion community awareness.”
Fidelis Kanyamunyu, reformed poacher, Honorary Wildlife Officer with Uganda Wildlife Authority and Co-Founder of Home of the Gorillas
Home of the Gorillas Initiative, in partnership with Uganda Wildlife Authority, seeks to commercialise activities that generate alternative ways of funding conservation. This is done by leveraging technology that enables the global community to engage with the gorillas remotely.
“It is important to note the investment opportunities presented by conservation.”
Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, a leading scientist and conservationist at the forefront of gorilla conservation efforts in East Africa, emphasised the importance of community inclusion
“In addition to the subscription-based application My Gorilla Family, the Home of the Gorillas initiative will launch the first conservation limited NFT collection linked to the ±200 habituated individual mountain gorillas in the wild.”
David Gonahasa, Co-Founder of Home of the Gorillas, further explained the importance of this initiative.
“We all need to be conservationists, regardless of our background or physical location. By leveraging technology, we are making more people aware of this natural capital we are blessed with, resulting in more mountain gorilla ambassadors globally.”
Terence Chambati, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Home of the Gorillas
Download My Gorilla Family on the Google PlayStore. iOS and web application versions will be available end of February 2022.
Follow @mygorillafamily on (X) Twitter.
Have you downloaded Uganda’s My Gorilla Family app yet? I’d love to know what you think of it!
Interview with UK’s woman & home magazine
The power of volunteering: an interview about life as a conservation volunteer in Uganda
Once upon a lifetime ago, I left my 9-5 job in London to volunteer with the Uganda Conservation Foundation. Volunteering with VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas) was the passport to an incredible life. It’s a story I’ve been blogging about ever since…
I’m thrilled that an interview about my life in Uganda featured in the UK’s woman & home magazine (October 2021) and Woman Magazine (July 2022).
“Approaching Entebbe Airport, bright orange sunshine filled the plane. I felt like the sun was rising over Africa and my new life. I was a little nervous and very excited.
In London, I had a corporate job and a long-term relationship, but the end of the relationship reignited my dream of visiting Africa.
I didn’t know anything about Uganda beyond Idi Amin, Lake Victoria and mountain gorillas, but I had a feeling I might stay longer than my two-year placement …”
Charlotte Beauvoisin, Woman Magazine | woman & home magazine
Read the woman & home interview with Charlotte in Uganda here.
The warmth here in Uganda – like the people – envelops you in a hug and makes you want to stay forever…
Charlotte Beauvoisin, woman & home magazine, October 2021
woman&home is on sale in UK shops or online
Do you enjoy reading Interviews? Read more Interviews with Charlotte Beauvoisin here.
Uganda Wildlife Authority discusses wildlife protection during pandemic on Facebook Live
Updates about mountain gorilla permits, chimp tracking, law enforcement and primate monitoring, electric fencing projects, desert locusts in north Eastern Uganda and the future of UWA.
In his first Facebook Live press conference, UWA Executive Director Sam Mwandha shared news about the work of the Uganda Wildlife Authority during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Following President Museveni’s announcement of a lockdown across the country, gorilla tracking was suspended until 30th of April. To help tourists and tour operators who have booked gorilla (or chimpanzee) tracking permits, Uganda Wildlife Authority has relaxed their rescheduling policy, meaning permits can be rescheduled for a period of up to 2 years (that is until March 2022). This arrangement also applies to those who have paid the initial 30% deposit for permits.
Mr Mwandha confirmed that there are no cases of coronavirus in UWA staff or any other people working in Uganda’s Protected Areas. UWA have procured protective equipment for staff that includes masks, gloves and sanitiser, along with guidance on their use. He thanked Conservation Through Public Health, Uganda Conservation Foundation and others for their generosity.
Although there are currently no tourists in the Protected Areas, law enforcement patrols continue. Human wildlife conflict issues are being actively managed and wildlife and communities are still being protected. Mr Mwandha said communities should “feel free to contact Uganda Wildlife Authority if they need help with human wildlife conflict issues.”
He also confirmed that rangers are continuing daily monitoring of primates in the three Protected Areas of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Mgahinga and Kibale Forest.
On the issue of desert locusts, Uganda Wildlife Authority has provided 82 staff to support the UPDF with chemical spraying, in consultation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF).
Although it was reported that locusts had entered into Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve and Kidepo National Park, Mr Mwandha reported that “whenever locusts have entered, they have left the following morning so there has been no significant damage reported.”
Update on Uganda Wildlife Authority developments across Uganda
During this period, UWA is continuing with other projects that include:
- 18 km of electric fencing in Queen Elizabeth (near Kasese) and an additional 5 km of electric fencing near Kyambura to protect communities from wild animals (predominantly elephants). In Murchison Falls, 20 km of electric fencing is being installed in Moya District and elsewhere.
- The ED of UWA gave a special thank you to Uganda Conservation Foundation, who have helped upgrade the internet. “Thanks to UCF they have high-speed Internet in the newly constructed operations centre at Murchison Falls. This centre will support law enforcement in MFNP.“ The internet and centre are both operational (and were supposed to have been launched a week ago). “They will help deal strongly and resolutely with poaching in Murchison Falls and stamp it out completely.”
- Over 200 rooms are being built for staff across the conservation areas and these are expected to be ready starting July 1st.
“I want to assure staff and partners that we are confident that Uganda Wildlife Authority will survive.”
Sam Mwandha rounded off his presentation by saying that with no tourism revenue coming in “the days ahead are going to be hard for UWA.”
According to UWA’s Business Continuity Plan, even in a worst-case scenario (of no revenue, indefinitely) the organisation has committed to keeping key functions running until July 2021.
Mr Mwandha made three specific assurances of how things will be between now and July 2021. UWA will ensure that:
- Security of employment of staff is maintained.
- Wildlife and Protected Areas are protected from poaching and encroachment.
- Human wildlife conflict that affects our communities is minimised.
He ended by saying “We continue needing support until tourism returns to normal.” He thanked AUTO (Association of Tour Operators)* for their “donation of items important for patrols. These have been immediately despatched to the parks for the rangers as they continue protecting our wildlife.”
“We request all of you Ugandans, partners and stakeholders to work with us to keep COVID-19 out of Uganda by observing the guidelines provided and that together we conserve for future generations.”
Read UWA’s public statement on measures to contain COVID-19 in the Protected Areas, dated March 25th 2020.
The Muzungu adds:
It’s reassuring to hear Uganda Wildlife Authority’s commitments during this difficult time. We know from firsthand experience of living at Sunbird Hill how they are continuing their work in the field. Last week we heard gunshots in the air as they chased elephants back into Kibale Forest (to protect villagers’ crops). We also interacted with UWA when a chimpanzee was killed by other chimpanzees on the forest edge.
Between 2009 and 2011 I was a Voluntary Service Overseas volunteer with the Uganda Conservation Foundation so it’s fantastic to see how they’ve expanded their support of UWA across the country. My role with UCF was to help fundraise to build ranger accommodation in Queen Elizabeth and to equip UWA with boats and training for them to police the park’s lakes and rivers to intercept poachers.
I was over the moon when UWA invited me to run a digital marketing training programme for tourism wardens in Entebbe (my last project before lockdown in fact). With all this time on our hands, I hope all our trainees are home practising their Facebook skills!
Also this week, AUTO held a series of brainstorming sessions online. These can be accessed on the AUTO YourTube channel or on SoundCloud.
UPDATE DECEMBER 2020: all National Parks, Wildlife Reserves and primate tracking have reopened with COVID-19 protocols in place. UWA have a wide range of promotions in place.
To follow more Coronavirus-related developments, read my blog Bracing ourselves for Corona Virus in Uganda which I update regularly with links to reliable information sources.
The Doctor and the spy gorilla!
BBC’s “Spy in the Wild” series meets Uganda’s Mountain Gorillas. Diary of a Muzungu interviews Uganda’s premier vet Dr Gladys about the making of the documentary.
I recently received a wonderful press article from my correspondent in the UK – a.k.a. my dad! – who is always on the look-out for stories about Uganda and East Africa in the British press.
The Times article “Spy ape isn’t rumbled in the jungle” is all about an animatronic gorilla who has been hanging out in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest with Uganda’s mountain gorillas.
I’m lucky enough to have encountered a few mountain gorillas in the wild – but this footage is in a league of its own. Watch it now!
I wanted to know more about this thrilling project here in Uganda and contacted Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH). Dr Gladys has become “one of the world’s leading conservationists and scientists working to save the critically endangered mountain gorillas of East Africa.”
The Muzungu: Which mountain gorilla family did the animatronic gorilla meet?
Dr Gladys: The Rushegura gorilla group is the family that is shown looking into the spy camera. However, they filmed other gorilla groups as well.
The Muzungu: In what way were you personally involved?
Dr Gladys: I was the lead scientist they consulted when filming “Spy Gorilla.” I accompanied the crew filming the mountain gorillas together with our team from Conservation Through Public Health, after obtaining permission from the Uganda Wildlife Authority, who also joined in the filming.
The Muzungu: How did you hear about this project?
Dr Gladys: Matt Gordon from John Downer Productions contacted me after getting a referral from a fellow National Geographic Explorer called Dr. Jill Pruetz. She was the lead scientist JDP consulted as she had hosted them when they filmed “Spy Chimpanzee” in the first series of “Spy in the Wild” at her study site in Senegal where Savannah Chimpanzees are found.
The Muzungu: What do you hope to learn from this project?
Dr Gladys: I hoped to add to my knowledge about gorilla behaviour because the spy cameras are able to non-intrusively capture close-up images of gorillas without having to get close to them. The spy cameras can record never before seen behaviour that will help us to protect mountain gorillas better and ultimately inspire viewers to conserve them.
The Muzungu: How many hours of filming took place for the film crew to get the one-hour show about Bwindi’s gorillas?
Dr Gladys: It took them ten days to film the documentary.
The Muzungu: Are there any plans for this kind of project to be repeated in Bwindi?
Dr Gladys: Most likely not, because the film crew got a lot of information and it took a lot of time, money and resources to capture this rare footage
The Muzungu: What is your feeling about the gorillas’ reaction to the animatronic gorilla?
Dr Gladys: We were first a bit apprehensive about how the gorillas would react. I also made sure that the spy gorilla was disinfected adequately to prevent any potential disease transmission. With the UWA and CTPH team, we were pleased to see that the gorillas were curious about the animatronic gorilla that looked like them, and the infants tried to play with it. It was fascinating to see that the gorillas were intelligent enough to discover that though the spy gorilla looked like them, it was not a real gorilla, but were still protective over it. The Spy Gorilla camera brought out their personalities as curious and accommodating gentle giants.
About the BBC’s “Spy in the Wild” series
“Spy in the Wild is back in one of the most innovative natural history series ever presented. This time it deploys over 50 ultra-realistic animatronic Spy Creatures to go undercover across every region of the world. The 4 x 60 minute BBC One series captures some of the most extraordinary animal behaviour ever seen, filmed from inside the animal world.
Using special state-of-the-art 4k resolution “Spy Creatures” the viewer is plunged into the very heart of the extraordinary lives of over 40 remarkable animals. They reveal previously unseen behaviour as animals gather, feed, fight and breed in among some of the greatest wildlife gatherings ever witnessed. This team of hyper-real Spy Creatures not only look like the animals they film, they behave like them too. Accepted by the families, these robotic look-alikes can not only film from an intimate perspective they also interact with the animals and so gain revelatory insights into their worlds.” Learn more about the Spy in the Wild series.
A big thank you to Dr Gladys for sharing her story with Diary of a Muzungu and to Papa Nagawa for being my eyes and ears on the ground in the UK.
… And before you go, check out this adorable face again! 🙂
My kind of club?
Launch of the Uganda Chapter of the Explorers Club
Star of the show and definitely the Best Dressed: Dr Gladys Kalema and the Muzungu. Explorers Club Uganda
The Explorers Club’s East African connections
Dian Fossey studied the Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda. Tragically, she was murdered, probably by one of the poachers she fought in her protection of the gorillas. Photo source unknown.
Dr Jane Goodall D.B.E. is most famous for her ground-breaking studies of the chimpanzees of Tanzania. Dr Goodall is now a UN Messenger of Peace
Sign of the times: In the old days, ‘finding a new species’ usually involved killing one… the above photo shows a Mountain Gorilla killed by von Beringe. Interestingly, this photo is on display at the Explorers Club HQ.The famous firsts of Explorers Club members
- First person to the North Pole.
- First person to the South Pole.
- First person to the summit of Mount Everest.
- First person to the deepest point in the ocean.
- First person to the surface of the moon.
But as the American comedian and actor Groucho Marx once said:
“I don’t want to belong to any club that would accept me as one of its members”
Last year I was asked to create a Photo Map of Uganda to commemorate Conservation Through Public Health’s 10th Anniversary
Diary of a Muzungu interview with the Explorers Club
What is in it for Ugandans? And what’s in it for the Muzungu?
Is there anything left to discover?
What made the Explorers Club decide to come to Uganda?
“We believe that the Ugandan chapter of the Explorers Club will help develop a new attitude to exploration.”
The Explorers Club is leading the change in the view that ‘explorers discovered Africa.’
Alan was quick to dispel any of the ‘old school’ associations of Western colonial types ‘discovering Africa.’
What is in it for Ugandans?
“It would be really interesting if one of your students travelled to America, just like previous explorers, anthropologists and so on, travelled to remote villages in Africa to study your village life. I would like to hear what a Ugandan scholar would have to say about the town I live in in California. That is the switch. The idea is that we see the Uganda Chapter as showing the way – along with Bhutan, Morocco and other once so-called ‘undeveloped’ countries – to help us develop a new attitude and new findings within exploration.We are looking at world centred exploration, not western centred exploration.”
Later the Muzungu had a chance to interview Alan and ask him about his travels around Uganda and his own explorations.
Have you been to Uganda before?
Was the gorilla trekking what you expected?
What inspires you to travel?
Which item can’t you travel without?
The Muzungu would love to be an Explorer and take part in some of the Club’s expeditions. Do you have any tips for me?
So dear reader, where in the universe would you like to EXPLORE?
What and where shall we explore in Uganda? I’d love to know your ideas!
