Photographer Content Project, Uganda -
Esther Mbabazi for Space for Giants
Whilst supporting marketing for Space for Giants, an objective I set myself was to build a bigger photography library filled with assets from across the different countries we worked in, rather than focussing on Kenya alone. One of my key personal goals was to offer more creative opportunities to local, indigenous photographers. I was especially keen to support black female photographers and provide for them a platform from which to grow their portfolio whilst providing fantastic assets for us to use.
One of the photographers we approached with was Esther Mbabazi, a Ugandan resident with fantastic, atmospheric imagery that really captured people’s personalities. We were keen to stay away from typical charity-like imagery and instead show the real people, their lives and their personalities. It was of huge importance to understand a little about the people photographed and ensure we had some quotes or dialogue to accompany their images.
Space for Giants had recently undertaken a series of focus group interviews to monitor the impact the work was having on the local communities and people living in and around the Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area (QECA), Uganda. An extensive project, spanning over several years, saw the implementation of electric fencing, put in place to protect farmer crops from raiding elephants and elephants from further harm. Focus groups allowed the team to measure the impact this project had had, comparing data and information provided in 2021 compared to previous years - both during the implementation and in the planning stages before. As such a key project for the team in Uganda, we wanted to create images of the people living there, the people working on site and entrepreneurs whose businesses has been able to grow.
By asking Esther (a non Space for Giants representative) to engage with local people, we wanted to encourage genuine responses from participants - allowing for honest answers.
See some examples of the beautiful imagery and stories below. With thanks to Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and the team at QECA for supporting this.
Check out more of Esther’s work on her website and social media.
Nnalongo Abarikurungi Grace, 52, is a farmer in Kyenzaza village bordering the park. Grace is a single mother of 2 and has spent 9 years farming. She grows tomatoes, millet, sweet potatoes.
“Elephants used to disturb us but now they’re gone because of the fence. They used to destroy all of the plants especially cotton millet, and soybeans.”
Grace grows plants and sells them to get her children’s school fees. “I have educated my children until degree and diploma levels. In engineering and nursing.
“Having the fence here means our livelihoods have improved and we have better funds raised for school fees. In a tomato season I earn 1.5-2.5m”
Farmers in the area have introduced crops like sweet potato, cassava, maize, tomatoes which they couldn’t grow before the fence as those attracted elephants. The electric fence in QECA is working to stop the elephant raiding crops from destroying farmer’s gardens bordering the park. The fence has helped farmers increase on their produce and livelihoods as crop loss has highly reduced in areas where the fence is active.
Kebirungi Varry, is a bee keeper with Kyenzaza Women’s Group.
“Before the fence, we would rear bees to keep the animals away. Our hives are now inside the fence, we access them through the pedestrian walk of the electric fence. And the bees pollinate our crops. It is a better time for us farmers.”
Kyambura farming cooperative society has 400 members and has been operational since 1967. They grow cotton, soybeans, maize and millet on 440 acres.
The electric fence in QECA is working to stop the elephant raiding crops from destroying farmer’s gardens bordering the park. The fence has helped farmers increase on their produce and livelihoods as crop loss has highly reduced in areas where the fence is active.
Baluku Gideon, is a Community Conservation Ranger with Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and oversees part of the fence construction. “My favourite animal is an elephant, that is why I am happy to work on this fence, to protect them from harming the community, and the community [from] harming them.”
Muhebwa Wilbrone, 45, a farmer growing cotton and onions in Kafuro village, Rubirizi District bordering the park. He was born and raised in this village bordering the park. “Elephants used to disturb us, we tried guarding, used camp fires, spent nights out guarding, but since the fence came, we no longer have to sleep out guarding our crops. We are able to maintain our crops without wildlife interference. If we continue like this, the future is bright.”
“Sometimes Buffaloes would invade the villages, attack and harm people, but they no longer come.”
“In this garden we wouldn’t farm because the elephants could eat all the crops near the park boundary, so, we would waste land to give room away from the park. Now we can utilise all the land.”
Twesige Dan, 27, a farmer in Muhokya village bordering the QENP. As land owners bordering the park, they grow maize, cotton, beans and bananas.
”Before, we couldn’t grow bananas because of the wild animals especially elephants. Now we can grow maize and reach harvesting without having to come guard, we used to use drums and fire to chase away the animals at night. It was expensive for us to afford guarding the gardens. Also people would fear to stay out and guard.”
”I didn’t think the animals would stop at this fence. I thought they’re [UWA] lying to us because elephants are big animals and thought they would pass this small fence.”
Kabugho Scovia, 28, a farmer in Rutookye village.
She is a mother of two and has been a farmer for 5 years - growing cotton, maize and tomatoes.
“Wild animals used to destroy our crops, eat and stamp on them. This would affect me, there was no assistance, I would lose a lot.
With the fence, I get better yields from the crops, free from the animal raids. Now I’m able to buy more land. I am now trading, buying and selling vegetables using the income from the garden.
I hope to educate my children in better schools.”
“I don’t like elephants because they destroyed my crops for a long time.
I still have a fear that the elephants might break the fence and come through.
When I saw the fence constructed, it was small and I thought elephants could easily jump over and still raid our crops.”
Bahaimuka Silver, 73, is a farmer in Rutookye village farming on 10 acres bordering the park. The fence near his garden was built in April 2020.
He grows cotton, simsim, bananas, maize, ground nuts and pumpkins.
“Elephants were a big problem, they would eat and destroy our crops but they would not eat cotton so it was the only successful crop. To get anything, we would do surveillance as a community, when we saw them close to the park boundaries, we would organise as garden owners and guard. We would guard the farms all night, shout at the elephants and sometimes the rangers would come and help. Once I kept the rangers at my home for a whole year to help us keep safe.”
“When I saw the fence being constructed, I was happy help was coming. Then I saw the small fence, I wasn’t convinced, the elephants are big, I thought they’d break it but then it is working.”
Now we have peace. These days we are no longer worried of the elephants invasion. We now can relax in our homes and spend more time with our families. We are gaining more from our farms since our crops are no longer destroyed by the animals.
Thanks to UWA for the fence initiative and the peace it has afforded us. I only introduced the bananas after the fence because before before it, I couldn’t grow them. It was impossible to do with the elephants around.”
Kimbesa William, 40, is a farmer in Muhokya village, bordering the park.
He grows maize, cotton, beans and bananas.
”Now we have no need of calling the rangers, we are free to farm as much as we want. We still have one problem, but it’s not a big one - guinea fowls - they eat our seeds at planting, but as they don’t move at night, it’s not a very big issue, we chase those away.”
Byabagambi Yusufu, Chairman of the Kyambura farming cooperative society.
“Farming was hard, animals would encroach on our farms, eat our crops, stubborn animals like buffaloes would harm and kill our members. But since the fence came, we have earned more money than before, our output has increased while the input reduced in terms of guarding costs where we used torches, fire and noise but it wasn’t perfect, the animals would still come.”
Kyambura farming cooperative society has 400 members and has been operational since 1967. They grow cotton, soybeans, maize and millet on 440 acres.
Turyasingura Gibril, 15, student , P7 class, farms on half an acre, and grows onions and cotton in Katonya village, Rubirizi District.
He gets about 1.5m for onions per season. Gibril has four brothers, all have their own gardens and help each other.
Gibril has hired the land for farming, with support from his grand mother and he hires casual labourers to help him with the farming.
“I started farming here when COVID-19 started in March 2020. My parents are farmers, I used to help them in their garden as I grew up. We used to see wild animals and they would raid and destroy our crops - elephants, buffaloes and baboons.”
“My parents used to sleep in the gardens to guard the crops and as a child, I would be scared and worried that they could be injured.
Before the fence, I wouldn’t think of owning my own garden because all crops would be destroyed. I feared that I would have to come and guard.
Since the fence, I realised the animals were not coming anymore and now my crops could be safe. Seeing the fence made, I trusted it because it has electricity in it.
I use the money to buy poultry and livestock like goats, I want to have a big business in future. I will go back to school when they open because I want to acquire more knowledge. I am also able to buy myself new things and for my mother and grand mother too.”
Byensi Sharon, 25, a VHT and farmer in Rukoma village bordering the park. Sharon, mother of 4 children grows cotton, beans, millet and maize crops.
“The fence was built while we’re here. Before the fence, the situation was very bad. Animals would come and eat our crops, even on Christmas we would stay here to guard but now I can afford to lock up and go to Bushenyi and enjoy the holidays with my family.”
“The animals would almost attack us. Once I heard the elephants, when I came outside to make noise and hit jerrycans to chase them away, I found them outside my door, they almost hurt me.
Before we would not grow/eat cassava and yet we love it but because the elephants like it too, they would uproot the whole crop - leaves and roots, and we would remain with nothing.
We moved here to farm because the land is fertile, we would have to struggle and stay on and guard until we harvest the crops. But farming is much easier now because we can grow our crops without disturbances.
I’m now able to crop more balanced meals for my children.”
An elephant interacts with human life at the rangers’ post in Queen Elizabeth National park.
This snapshot is an example of how large wild animals and people around the QECA can come into contact on a daily basis. Thankfully on this occasion, the elephant wasn’t panicked and there were no casualties but it shows how suddenly an incident can occur.
Businge Shaban, 23, is a casual worker from the community and is in his third year working on the fence. His responsibilities include digging, clearing and working as a technician on the wires.
“The fence has helped our community, it not only stops elephants, but all big wildlife. People can now farm freely and safely.”
Working on the fence has enabled me to save some money, and hope to buy a motorbike which can bring me more money. I have also learnt technical skills through this on job training.”
I didn’t have money to join university, so I started working with hopes of saving to invest in something to help me afford school in the future. But I do request for some wage increase because the work is long. We start at 7:30am - 5pm, Monday - Saturday for 10,000 shs per day.”