Another day in Kampala meeting with clients and friends.
Our day started meeting with the owners of a very exciting
investment for Mango Fund, Kad Africa, from Fort Portal. Fort Portal is in the
western part of Uganda and is at the foothills for the Rwenzori mountains. It
is, by repute, one of the most beautiful places in all of Uganda and is a
jumping off point for many tourists on their way to see the “Gorillas in the
mist”. There are several really beautiful lodges there and I look forward to making
time to go there next time I’m here.
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| Eric and Rebecca with Ted and George |
Kad Africa is owned by Eric and Rebecca – a Kenyan and
California who have just recently married. It is a farm in Fort Portal that the Mango Fund has helped equip with irrigation equipment so that they can grow passion
fruit. Passion fruit are much in demand in Uganda and the rest of the world.
They make delicious juice, although Eric himself doesn’t like it! Passion fruit
requires very technical horticultural practices, but offers very significant
rewards. There are very few commercial farms in Uganda. The five acres planted will yield a crop of
thousands of kilos every month! That’s a lot of passion! The first fruit will
begin to be harvested in February and the full plot will be producing by April.
Eric and Rebecca are so enthusiastic and nervous as the as they wait for the
first “fruits” of their labor.
I then met with a group of folks from Arua, who were all
former pupils of St Joseph’s College in Arua. St Joseph’s is a government High
School, that at one time produced some of the most talented graduates in the
country. However in recent years it’s reputation has fallen. This group of men
represent a new association of St Joseph’s Old Boys who are determined to help
the school regain its high reputation. They have begun on a number of
initiatives including the awarding of scholarships to talented students, the
provision of solar power and the development of an IT capability. Their activities
are already paying dividends with the school enjoying significantly higher test
score results. We talked about many options they face and discussed the right
way to proceed. I readily agreed to help in any way I can as the availability
of a first class High School in Arua is vital if we are to expect the most
successful people to stay in the community rather than to migrate to Kampala
for their children. I look forward to working with this thoughtful and
motivated group – more passion on display!
One other meeting of note was with a young American from Oklahoma
City who has spent the last year in the field buying and selling maize. He is
looking to expand this year and add a degree of processing – cleaning, drying
and storage - to his business. I was reminded of how much opportunity Uganda
holds for people who want to work hard, bring a little capital and keep their
eyes open. Another man with enthusiasm and dare I say it – passion!
Uganda anyone?
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