I’m born and raised in Uganda. My family is from Mitooma district in the western part of the country.
I had rich experiences with my immediate community while growing up.
When I left as an adult, I saw a huge difference; between the opportunities that town could offer, and the great potential that the countryside limited.
With my budding talent in photography, and a big heart for my roots, I found it important to pack my bags every often, travel to the village, and capture the unseen side of my home district.
With pictures I post on social media, people are able to relate, but also give a hand where necessary to help the community.
On the ground at home, youths who I share my work with are inspired to try and find a platform, to tell their own story.
At the end of the day. It is a win-win for me, my community, my continent, and my world.
Find below some of my best works.
Makoma Nation
Young men selling fruits on streets of Mbarara on a hot afternoon.
The HILLSONG UNITED KINGDOM group on tour in Uganda.
“No one will see you if you do not move out and act”
Indeed, no one will see Uganda if we do not show it off to the world. That is the belief that justifies my motivation. Many stories in Uganda have gone untold and photography is the way for me to attempt to fill the gap.
UGANDAN HUSTLE
Poor education, unemployment, high cost of living... this is the pitiful situation of many Ugandan youths. One way to survive is to be a porter. These young and energetic men wake up early each morning to catch trucks loading bananas or any other food produce from farms. They sit atop, breathing the cold airs of long journeys to the markets. The more bunches one loads or offloads dictates the day’s pay. What a way to earn a living!
IMAGES OF AFRICA
There’s an African proverb that goes “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but the way to his life is through the rough on his hands.” In Africa, we believe so much that hard work will bring abundance. That a man has to toil and foil to make ends meet... The dirt stamps on this man’s body may be unpleasant, yet they are the price he pays to earn a living. As he keeps rubbing against the
sand, his palms become harder, which over the years will be proof he genuinely sweated for his fortune.
MENTORSHIP
‘A boy will follow in the footsteps of his father and be heir to his throne.’ – so do the Karimojong believe. To learn the values of a man in society, the young boys spend most of their day in the field with their fathers grazing animals. Under these tree shades great stories are told, morals instilled, boys turned into men... You cannot be a boss before you have worked for one.
INSPIRATION
“It may not be time to leave the herd now, but we can spare a moment to tickle the camera controls.” Being an underprivileged child isn’t a choice. But being an adult one is... Whenever I visit community schools, my actions or inactions may leave a mark on the children. After I let these young boys have my camera, maybe they started a debate about it afterwards – maybe some lies were told between them. Who knows! Most important is that that little moment could have inspired a child to dream of a career in photography!