Boosting tourism with culture

The old lady with the constant jokes is supporting her grand children with funds got from tourists

For many years, tourists visiting Lake Bunyonyi have been travelling specifically for the beauty of the lake and few other activities like canoeing, swimming and bird watching before they would proceed to the Mgahinga and Bwindi National parks for Mountain Gorilla tracking.

But now they have to stay a bit longer as they wait to be conducted around the newly launched African Village of Nyambogo in Mwendo Parish Kitumba in Kabale District. The trail is 2.6km long. Visitors are exposed to Kiga culture as they proceed on the track. It has also been recognised as an important money minting venture as tourists leave several donations for the local residents that stand by the way welcoming them.

Fridah Bihega, an 84-year-old elder, is one of the beneficiaries of this new activity and she has managed to build a new permanent house from the donations given to her by the tourists. Bihega likes giving them pecks, hugging and massaging them and has attracted many tourists to her home.
“My guests, you are welcome. Please come closer and offer me a hug. I want a boyfriend from among you.

Do not fear my age I am a young lady of 84,” Bihega usually teases as she grabs the tourists one after the other. She shows them around her house where she has displayed her unique skills on using a grinding stone to get quality sorghum flour for sale and for domestic use. She then takes them to her compound where she performs the Kiga traditional dance causing lots of excitement as tourists open their bags to give her money donations while others take photographs.

“The tourists visiting my place have provided ready market for my hand crafts which include baskets and table mats. I sell each item for between Shs10,000 and Shs20,000 depending on the size of the pieces. Each day tourists visit my home I am able to earn about Shs100,000,” Bihega says. She explains that she uses part of the money given to her to support the education of her grand children who are currently attending secondary school at different schools in Kabale District.

Duncan Musinguzi says he initiated the African Village Trail to benefit local communities around the lake for them to earn foreign currency after selling their hand crafts.

A tour guide at Lake Bunyonyi, Nelson Kambarage, says tourists like the walk through the African village trail especially because they get a chance to interact with the local communities. He explains that the establishment of the trail has also empowered tour guides economically as they earn an average of Shs40,000 every time they conduct tourists.

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