A section of communities living across the shores of Lake Bunyonyi will benefit from a scheme aimed at empowering them in conserving Africa’s second deepest Lake.
This scheme by Self Help Africa, an international charity organization and African International Christian Ministries (AICM), a local Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) is supported by the European Union.
Over 60million( Uganda shillings) will be spent to support 12 villages that are adjacent to the Lake from the districts of Kabale and Rubanda.
Naphtali Mugizi, a Programs manager from Self Help Africa said that they are currently drafting conservation agreements that the beneficiary village groups must follow so as that they can receive the support.
Mugizi says that before getting the funds, communities will be assessed to see If they shall have acted on a number of conditions.
He says that a number of community enterprises will be encouraged in order to achieve the desired cause of sustainable economic growth, increased employment, reduced poverty and improved nutrition.
According to the Kabale district Natural Resources Officer, Rogers Akatwijuka, the quality of water in Lake Bunyonyi has been getting worse for quite some time due to increasing silting and once efforts are put as soon as possible, this challenge could reduce.
Some of the expected beneficiary group members say they are ready to do all it takes to conserve the Lake.
Bunyonyi, the second deepest Lake in Africa is one of the top tourism revenue earners for Uganda and the main water source for Kabale town. Initially, the lake had a depth of 900 metres.
However, activists and district leaders said that the depth has reduced by 1.2 metres, a decrease which was attributed to soil erosion resulting from poor farming methods by communities neighboring the lake.
Eng. Ivan Mbabazi Batuma the director of Bunyonyi Overland Resort said the support is very well come and asked other organizations to support the restoration and preservation of Lake Bunyonyi.
