06/12/2021
“Today’s inspirational message focuses on my recent trip to Uganda. I just returned from a two-weeks break at Martha’s Farmhouse, where I had gone to see my family and offer my support with the social enterprise. Some of you my recall that my family set up a hospitality social enterprise in memory of our mother to help transform livelihoods in the village. Martha’s Farmhouse is open to paying guests seeking high-end short stays. Amidst all the sad news in the media, I thought I would take a moment to share some encouraging highlights of my visit :
1. Due to the various travel bans, Uganda has not had much international tourism lately. However, local tourism has skyrocketed and as I speak the farmhouse is fully booked till January. We have had to double the size of our staff team providing us an opportunity to employ even more people from the village (in fact one young man has saved up enough money and plans to buy his mother a piece of land). This kind of impact is heartwarming, thanks to our guests.
2. During my visit, I learnt that we at the farmhouse have planted over 200 trees in 2021. I also noticed that attitudes towards deforestation are changing. More people near us are careful about cutting down trees as they see the impact that has on the weather and their survival. Long may this trend continue.
3. Finally one has to talk about the pandemic. Almost all adults I met in the village had been vaccinated. In fact there was a vaccination centre at the local primary school. We give credit to the Ugandan government and all who made this possible as access to the vaccine in the countryside is so impressive. I also noticed that vaccine hesitancy was low in this part of the country which shows that blanket statements about all Africans not wanting the vaccine are simply not true, and with the new variant, unhelpful.
I always enjoy going back home and my last visit was a source of hope on many levels. I hope my story works for your . Happy Monday people”.
Keith Kibirango
Martha’s Farmhouse
