Lots of people are conducting their environmental Activism silently. I don’t know whether it by design that they choose to take a silent path different from many of us who frequent social media channels displaying our works whenever we get the opportunity.
Last Friday, i had an opportunity to visit Karamoja Region with our Partner from Germany. We were taken by Mr Ayub Mukisa who is the Director of an Environmental Organisation called KACHEP.
We were astonished by the commitment and drive of the KACHEP Team. These guys are not only situated in the remotest District of Nabilatuk where they have not only planted hundreds of fruit trees in the Schools within the region, helping to regreen the already dilapidated natural heritage of the region. The organisation has already established Orchard Gardens for Schools, helping to regreen the landscape, but also create sheds for the already sizzling temperatures and heat which the locals are always struggling to contend with.
In hard situations were prolonged droughts are the order of the day, it is women and children who suffer most because they always have to travel extremely long distances searching for water and firewood for domestic use besides the daily struggle of putting food on the table. KACHEP is solving this problem by investing heavily in water drilling. We visited 2 Boreholes and 2 Taps which were constructed in Schools and communities to solve the water problem and also to help in reinforcing reforestation programs within the community. If i was to award a medal, these would be the guys on my Priority List. They deserve more recognition and kudos for taking up initiatives and achieveing so much with limited resources. I believe that these fellows have the capacity of regreening Karamoja once given the opportunity and resources. They certainly have the template , expertise and zeal to make Karamoja stand out. They understand the Terrain so much and because they employ local personell from the region, they certainly comprehend the most intricate problems faced by the local Karamajong at the grassroot.
They don’t conduct afforestation for the sake, they research so much on the Tree Species they are to plant in the region. They plant multi- purpose trees which not only provide shed, but also medicinal Herbs to help in the treatment of people and animals. For Starters, Karamoja Region has very few health facilities, making it virtually impossible for the mobile herdsmen to access them for treatment. Just like the Masai and Turkana Tribes in Kenya, local herbs have a strong history of usage for these tribes. What KACHEP is literally doing is filling the devoid left by the lack of quality health facilities in the region.
As i conclude, in Africa we have a habit of not appreciating people who contribute to our society. We not only ignore them but we certainly never applaud them, leaving them in self doubt. This Team is punching above its weight and they demand not so much from us, but to applaud them and give them tap on the back for their commitment, resolve and service to the country.
Be the change.
By
Ronald Kiwalabye
Environmental Activist and Director – Schools Tree Project
Twitter: SchoolsTrees1
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