University of Manitoba – Makerere UPCD
CIDA Tier 2 Project Website

Communities Page

Enormous potential exists to utilize Uganda's rich natural and cultural heritage resources for sustainable tourism while providing a much needed local impetus to support the conservation of wildlife and natural areas. The Government of UgandaÕs Tourism Plan of 1993 and the draft report on Sustainability Initiatives of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (GoU, 2004) both identified the thoughtful development of tourism as crucial for conserving Uganda's wildlife while simultaneously sustaining the integrity of Uganda's diverse cultures. The key to realizing this capacity lies in the development of local capacity to manage, plan, interpret and profit from the resources that are the foundation of sustainable tourism. This requires that local communities are equipped with the appropriate skills and abilities that will enable them to plan for, attract and interact with tourists in a meaningful way, and derive economic benefits from the Òwildlife capitalÓ of the surrounding National Parks. This project will develop the local knowledge base and expertise capable of preparing stakeholders at all levels of the tourism industry - government, private enterprises, NGOs and communities - to support rural women and men in identifying and capitalizing upon their own unique potential. We will achieve this by identifying and developing Community Demonstration Projects in three Park regions identified by the Ugandan Wildlife Authority. Following a series of stakeholder consultations and workshops we have selected our first demonstration community as Ruhija bordering Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

The Community of Ruhija

This portion of the page is under construction but will act as a common resource page summarizing the activities and providing links regarding the development of the community demonstration in Ruhija.

Awards

University of Manitoba Bulletin March 2008
Matthew Derksen interned under a Students For Development Internship with the project in the summer of 2007. The results of Matthew's internship work helped identify communities’ readiness to welcome tourism and highlighted  the natural, cultural, build and human resource opportunities and constraints.