You might not believe it but it was elephants – or what comes out of the back end of them – that first brought me to Uganda.
Colleagues back in London laughed out loud when I told them about the first project that the Uganda Conservation Foundation had planned for me: collecting elephant dung with the Uganda Wildlife Authority, all part of a global project aimed at stopping ivory poaching.
“No shit?”
As it turned out, some other lucky bugger got this job, not the muzungu. Several weeks bouncing around in a 4 x 4 looking for elusive elephants may not have been quite as glamorous as I first thought anyway …
Regardless, the muzungu has a soft spot for elephant dung (yes, I know ‘I have issues’) so I was delighted to be invited on my next adventure with Julia, heading back to Ishasha, south western Uganda, to check out a community tourism project.
What – no bananas? No baby Dillon to bounce on my knee?
Community tourism, elephant conservation, a chance to meet the farmers, managing ‘human wildlife conflict’ – this very cool project ticks all the right boxes for me – with OR without bananas.
Sun rises over the fields of Ishasha, south western Uganda. Deo sleeps in this hut every night, on the look-out for elephants. Here he's holding a lump of elephant dung (and a panga machete)
Deo was full of smiles and runs a great Model Homestead. This charming little girl is one of his daughters. The even more charming muzungu is Yours Truly of course, bleary-eyed after a night’s camping with Julia and no morning tea! EH BANANGE!
After two and a half years fundraising to protect farmers such as Deo and his family from crop raiding elephants, it was quite an honour to be invited to tour Deo’s homestead in Ishasha, bordering Queen Elizabeth National Park. This community tourism project is an offshoot of the Community Uplift Project that Wild Frontiers Safaris Uganda has been developing for several years.
Deo and Agartha (a neighbouring lady farmer) really stood out as exceptional members of their community group, transforming their homes (and thus their incomes and their health) into ‘model homesteads’ – community tourism projects like these are the perfect way to show tourists how rural Ugandans live.
Below, Deo burns a combination of elephant dung and homegrown chilli as a deterrent to would-be elephant encroachers. He was very proud to show us his techniques – but boy he lives on the edge. Fancy doing this every night, just to survive?
Elephant dung deterrent, Ishasha, Queen Elizabeth National Park
As well as a welcoming grin, Deo of course has an extra special feature: The Elephant Trench! – and he sure is proud of it!
We’re off to Kihihi again next week to see how Deo’s been getting on. I can’t wait to visit these lovely people again. I wonder what stories Deo will have in store for us?
Which of his livestock has the Leopard run off with this time? And more importantly, have the elephants been visiting him recently?
Sign up to my newsletter to hear Deo’s stories about what happened to his dogs when a leopard came visiting!
September 19th, 2012
I love your blog!
September 19th, 2012
Thanks Camelia!
September 20th, 2012
I love it! Although at first the elephant dung didn’t appeal me, the project it is amazing!
I am really looking forward to visit Uganda next month!
Isabel (Diario de a bordo) recently posted Viajes lingüísticos
September 20th, 2012
Brilliantly funny blog – keep up the good work!
September 20th, 2012
I love the story
September 20th, 2012
EXCELLENT COMMUNITY TOURISM PRODUCT. GOOD WORK AND KEEP US POSTED
September 21st, 2012
Ha ha ha……… all that poop! Reminds me of when we had to make paper from rhino dung here at UWEC……………….
September 22nd, 2012
Thanks Isabel, I know you will LOVE Uganda!
September 22nd, 2012
Thanks Celestine, I really loved visiting Ishasha and seeing the world thru a farmer’s eyes.
September 22nd, 2012
Thanks for your feedback Helen. I hear this is now a recognised UCOTA community tourism project? Excellent news!
September 22nd, 2012
It doesn’t smell tho does it? You’d think it would! Elephant dung and abattoirs, I bet everyone’s glad I haven’t added smells to my blog, as well as music!
September 22nd, 2012
Thanks Em! I never run out of things to write about Uganda
October 11th, 2012
Hey, I never look that great after a night of camping!
Great blog… love the sense of humour… definitely going to be stopping in more often!
Colleen Brynn recently posted Perception Without Perspective
October 12th, 2012
Glad you enjoyed the blog Colleen
Ugandans have a great sense of humour. Kind of rubs off on you!
the downside of camping in remote areas is that you’re miles away from a decent mirror -couldn’t even see in the car wing mirror for dust! Usually find after two days roughing it, I’ve given up on the appearance / washing / delete as appropriate! thanks for stopping by!