KARAMOJA - PRESENT AND BACKGROUND
This vast and beautiful region has not been regularly visited by outsiders for over 30 years.
After the demise of the infamous dictator Idi Amin Dada in the late '70s, constant insecurity and widespread use of automatic rifles, which had replaced the traditional spear of the Karimojong clansmen, had more or less sealed Karamoja to the outside world. In the past few years, the Ugandan Government has seriously tackled the issue, and an effective disarmament program has returned the region to normalcy.
The once incredibly rich wildlife has been decimated during these three decades. It is our goal to help re-establish wildlife and improve the ecosystems in Karamoja, and to put this wonderful region on the map of high-end tourism in Africa.
Sustainable use of wildlife resources is not only an important economic tool in poverty-stricken regions, it is also the only successful way to turn the tide of indiscriminate poaching that has threatened so many African species with local or total extinction.
The Wildlife Reserves under our management are being restocked with a multi-pronged approach, and will become a wildlife reservoir for the vast wild areas and pasture grounds in Karamoja.
Former Controlled Hunting Areas and Community Wildlife Areas are used to educate the local hunters and local communities in sustainable game management, breaking the mold of "kill them while they last" attitude that is unfortunately prevalent wherever communities are kept out of the benefits accruing from consumptive and non-consumptive use of wildlife.
The Karimojong culture revolves around cattle. Wildlife and wild environment are the only resources that can fully co-exist with the Karimojong core values, and enmesh with their traditional lifestyle while they derive benefits from them.
This long term endeavour requires deep commitment and constant efforts, but we do believe that it is worth it...