When Uganda Came to the UK
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By
Ben Langdon
@benlangdonphoto
Last Friday was a very special occasion because I was lucky enough to have a good friend, who was over from Uganda, to my home for dinner. It was a great opportunity for me to play the host for a change, and in some small way start to repay the many times I have been looked after on my 30+ trips to countries all over Africa.
Earlier in the week Catherine was able to do the same and took Aggrey on a tour of some of London’s famous landmarks.
Above: Aggrey exploring some of London’s famous landmarks.
I first met Aggrey in 2009 when I was taking photos for Send a Cow in Uganda. We travelled around collecting stories and photographing their work. These trips are normally between 7 to 10 days long and you build up a real rapport with the people you are travelling with. Aggrey was great, a fountain of knowledge for Send a Cow’s work and it seemed like he knew someone in every community we passed through.
Above: A few photographs from my first trip to Uganda with Send a Cow, in 2009.
We kept in touch and then I was lucky enough to return, with Send a Cow, in 2011. As well as collecting new stories we were revisiting some of the farmers we had seen on the trip two years before. Their progress was remarkable. I was excited to see how quickly Send a Cow’s work was having an impact, helping lift people out of poverty.
Send a Cow are a great example of how, by sharing skills and experience, you can help people to help themselves. What is clever about their approach is that at the end of their training the ‘graduates’ pass something on to the next families that are taking part. This could be a chicken, or a cow, or even some cash to help get things started. Not only did we see changes in the individuals we met but in their communities too. By growing organic vegetables and farming cows and chickens, they were able to share their knowledge and also sell any excess produce into their community.
Above: A few photographs from my second trip to Uganda with Send a Cow, in 2011.
We have subsequently worked with Aggrey a number of times on projects where he has helped us with in-country support and logistics, such as providing drivers and helping to book accommodation. In fact, he has now gone on to set up a travel agency that does exactly this and so if you are looking for in-country support in Uganda, or you want an expert guide to help you have the holiday of a lifetime, then I can highly recommend Aggrey and his team.
Uganda is a stunning country which I have now visited three 0r four times and so in celebration of Aggrey’s trip to England and his new Travel Agency, Kyambura Go Safaris Ltd, I wanted to share some photographs of the places I have seen on my travels in Uganda.
If you would like to see more then head over to our growing Mile 91 Photo Library. Please do get in touch if you would like to commission some story gathering of your own to help bring your work to life.
Have a safe trip home Aggrey and hopefully see you in February!
Above: The base of Murchison Falls as seen downriver on the Victoria Nile, Uganda.
Above: An African elephant photographed from a boat on the River Nile in Uganda.
Above: Hippos photographed from a boat on the River nile in Uganda.
Above: A boy selling sugar cane from his bicycle, Uganda.
Above: A lady carrying an enormous bunch of bananas on her head, Uganda.
Above: Sipi waterfall on the edge of Mount Elgon National Park near the Kenyan border of Uganda.
Above: The view from behind Sipi Waterfall in Uganda.
Above: A bicycle carrying lots of pineapples
Above: One of my favourite road side meals, the Ugandan Rolex is a fried egg wrapped in a chapatti.
Aggrey
I am humbled Ben. Thank you. Great photographs Catherine. A tour of London was worth every time. I could not believe we had walked 8km in all! I love your systems.