The village of Kyakataama

TOONDA is at home in Kyakataama, a small village in western Uganda, about 6 hours’ drive from the capital Kampala and about 45 minutes away from Fort Portal. This is where the Mutoro people of the Toro Kingdom live. The village nestles on the crater lake Nyambuga with a view of the 5000m high Rwenzori Mountains. We are surrounded by about 60 other crater lakes as well as the Kibaale National Park. Kyakataama village has approximately 1055 inhabitants and is surrounded by five other small communities. Most of the people in Kyakataama live in simple mud huts and are self-sufficient in agriculture. School education is low, but the thirst for knowledge is enormous.

The people of Kyakataama

The inhabitants are mostly Atoro and speak Rutoro. Few speak English, some men can write, as they used to be sent to school preferentially. Our neighbors are hardworking farmers who mainly grow matooke (green plantains), beans, maize and cassava. They are helpful, calm and friendly people who work hard to make things better (to increase living standards) for their children. Since sons inherit land, fathers are now also convinced that their daughters should go to school so that they can build their own future.