Martin:
Travelling on through the Karamajong region we were in the shadow of Mount Elgon which straddles the border of Uganda and Kenya. It was getting late so rather than head straight for Kenya we decided to spend the night at Sipi Falls. A good decision because the lodge we stayed in that night was perched right across from the Falls and we had time to take an evening hike up to the top.
“…Sipi is one of those travel hotspots – the only one in Uganda- where it’s impossible to walk more than five paces without an annoying youth latching on to you and asking to guide you …” said the Bradt guide. Well, we were pleasantly surprised to find quite a different story.
Annemarie:
Sipi village teeters on the top of one of the foothills of Mount Elgon, there’s hardly a flat piece of ground anywhere with even the community football pitch on a perilous slope. I am trying to catch a picture of a game in progress; I fail but the young woman in front of the house next to the road thinks I am taking a picture of her. I try to explain what I was doing – too hard, so offer to take her picture instead. She is very pleased to pose and her sister comes giggling out to see what’s happening and poses too. They are so impressed when I show them the images on the camera that I rashly promise to print them a copy and come back in the morning.
We had intended to camp but there wasn’t a site or even a suitable place to park up so we splashed out on a lodge with cottages dotted over a steep hillside overlooking the falls, what a view. The young man showing us around is informed and helpful and offers to take us up to the falls, where we began to chat. Turns out he’s a football player, a runner, works for the hotels and is part of the Sipi guides association. The community has got together to tackle the issue of the ‘annoying youths’ pestering tourists and now they actively support them with a youth centre and a proportion of the guiding fee goes to the community. Lacam Lodge, where we stayed, has a three-way international ownership including a local Sipi falls community representative. The lodge gives part of its profits to the school, which shares the same hillside and the Italian partners have provided a playground. It was the school holidays but I was proudly shown round the school, including a brand new classroom by the manager of the lodge, the local owner and a ‘youth who was definitely not annoying!
Next day we deliver the promised photos and our girls invite us in to meet their mum. She hugs me when she sees the pictures and then other children seem to pop out of every corner. They are all part of her family – so we pose again. Smile!
