Adopt a Community - Donate
Maria’s community tourism work takes her through many areas in rural Uganda where she has an opportunity to meet and interact with people within their communities. The majority perceive their villages and homesteads as underprivileged and themselves as without many opportunities. The unfortunate trend is that able people move to towns and cities in search of economic opportunities, leaving behind mostly women and the elderly.
Due to a lack of sufficient information and exposure, many people do not see the potential within their surrounding environment, indigenous knowledge and cultures. But amongst the community there are some who have not given up and are not waiting for government or donors to improve their circumstances. In a bid to survive, they have become innovative.
This is demonstrated in the case of one family, the Kahimas, living in a rural village in southwestern Uganda, who has used their knowledge, skills and homestead assets to improve their family and make a difference in their community. The family has demonstrated how an empowered woman can be an agent of positive change in her home and community.
Kahima Homestead Opportunity
COBATI identifies deserving families like the Kahimas and trains them to include tourism in their homestead activities. The homesteads eventually become part of the COBATI “Homestead Tourism” program, giving visitors the opportunity to share the extraordinary experience of these rural achievers.
COBATI is seeking financial support to build the capacity of these rural families to understand tourism and how it can be an empowerment tool to use their homesteads to participate in the COBATI tourism program. This will enable them to use
homestead tourism as a supplementary economic activity, boost their household incomes, connect their villages to international travelers seeking enriched experiences, and other benefits which usually accrue from tourism. In addition, these communities are able to provide educational and health services to the local families.
Community Schools
Homestead tourism helps support community schools like Bembe Hill Primary School.
While the community has made much progress, there is still work to be done. Your donation can help finish construction.
Visit a Homestead
A Tourist’s Contribution in Action
See the impact when a tourist purchases handcrafts during a homestay in Uganda…
Income from crafts goes a long way in the supplementing the income of Nubian women. In addition, when a basket is sold, 10% goes to a women’s group fund. From the fund, the women are able to buy lunch for their children at the local community school.
The school provides free education but not meals. For UGX 3,000 (US $1.50) per semester each child can have a cup of porridge each day for the entire semester. Lunch is not affordable for the villagers, especially without a source of income. When a tourist purchases a handcraft, the women are able to pay for a cup of porridge that will sustain their children for the 8 hours they are at school.
In addition, pregnant woman can get funds from this same pool to get a ‘Delivery kit.’ The kit includes a pair of gloves, disinfectant, razor blades, gauze, antiseptic, sanitary towels, and other supplies that will be needed for her delivery at the local health centre. Lack of this would mean the women would have to deliver at home no matter the complications. The health centres are inadequately stocked, so it is difficult for the care providers to provide complete care.
So as you can see, a single piece of craft goes a long way in sustaining the women in homestead communities.
Plan your visit to a homestead in Uganda!
Media Support
We are also seeking non-financial support from international media. Please visit the Media page for more information.