Building going on

At this moment of writing (July 2016) we are daily busy in Kotido to improve your stay in Karamoja Arts.

We are building a community Hall,  and increasing on the huts.

Kindly accept our apologies for any inconvenience . You are still most welcome to stay with us. And the trips are organised as usual . We will keep you updated.

For any comments also use: karamoja.arts@yahoo.com

Living like the Karimojong

When you have heard about the Karimojong, and you have heard what a wild people they are… and mainly walking naked… then you are definitely wrong.

Though Kotido is somewhat far North in Uganda, it is most worthwhile to visit. Many outside people have discovered the place, and all reactions are very positively. Mainly though, opposite to what they had learned before, about the Karimojong.

So please be informed: the Karimojong are a very nice people… able to do things we are not able to do anymore. Discover their abilities and start to respect this ‘old’ tribe of Uganda (Karimojong means: the old ones, who stayed behind; during migrations of the tribes).

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This picture shows a visitor who is sleeping in the Karamoja Arts Manyatta. Their houses are solely built with natural material. That is called: ‘Keeping the environment clean!’

Sliding Rock event

One simple, though great event in Kotido is de sliding rock. A rock in the savannah laSlidingsrockndscape that has weathered a slide inside. We often go there for picknicks and plays. And for the tourists we organise a take-away there, at sunset. On the top you have the view to the Labwor hills (South-West), to the South the mountain Toror, to the North the mountain range of Kaabong. The farmers farm groundnuts nearby, and with the Karimojong Guide you will find out more on culture and natural vegetation in that area. Kalikruk is the local name of the rock… in the area of Losilang. Welcome to get into the Karimojong experience!

Welcome at our shop!

Without giving it a lot of publicity lately, but we are running a shop in Kotido. We, are the women of the Mothers Union, and the artists and womengroups where Karamoja Arts is working together with.

Since March we have a shopkeeper. A lovely lady who understands business very well. But at the same time trusted enough to carry that responsibility.

It’s a joint venture: Mothers Union ladies are selling snacks in the shop. Karamoja Arts is selling their Arts and Crafts. And DCDS, the development group from the Diocese, is selling food: Rice, Maize flour and Beans.

The clinic is very closeby, where the in-patients like to buy something like soda, soap, milk etc.. Also the workers of the Diocese, on which compound the shop is situated, like to come and buy food… and then pick sometimes some other items.

Tourists also come in… sometimes because of Karamoja Arts… and sometimes because they spot the signpost at the roadside.

The profit goes to the livelihood of the Karimojong. We pay the salaries of the Karimojong workers. We want to be trustworthy in that: paying salaries in time. And then the demonstration garden becomes a very nice discussion point: how to use you money and gain enough from your garden. How to plant and why like this or that… We call it an holistic approach: touching all areas of life. The next step is building a sanddam in Kotido!

So you are very welcome at our shop: you’ll support with us Karimojong livelihood!

New wheelchair!

You wouldn’t believe it, but after we posted his story… just one week, when he visited me again, he had a new wheelchair. While asking him about it he told us about a friend, who got this wheelchair but didn’t use it, so he bought it from him, from his own, earned, money! He is really a business man… knows how to receive microfinance… knows how to invest his money… and continues working for his future.

One week later he came again, with his old chair… his new one had a puncture. So he needed some money to buy a good bicycle pump… he bought… had enough left to buy food… his old chair broke down in my compound that very day… and lays in my shed to rest! Great story, great people here in Karamoja!

The bangle-maker.

The banglemaker: Paulo Lonyang
The banglemaker: Paulo Lonyang
One of our joining craftsmen is Paulo Lonyang. He is crippled at both his feet, but he went to school, is fluent in English and tries very hard to earn his living for his family. His wheelchair is ramshackled. One of the things we would love to do is to find a new wheel chair for him (if you want to support that please let me know!). To him we are able to give micro-loans, which he always pays back very stiptly. He makes bangles from red and yellow copper. The copper he finds at the trash, or copper from the waterpipes… everything can be used by him. He decorates them with different patterns, and his work is most wanted in the shop. He also makes bangles from aluminium… little different style, but still very nice to wear.
He is one of the examples that community tourism can make a difference in lives of people.

Progress of building : some pictures.

While starting this website, we hope we can make a link between the beauty of Karamoja and the rest of this world. Karimojong are rightfully proud on their culture. But poverty and insecurity has interfered in their promotion of what they have. We hope this website can help in this.

Arts and Crafts, Eco lodging, Eco Tours