I've been too busy to write a blog for nearly two years now! Here is why...
2007 i had the idea that if the world was going to get itself in order corporations were going to play a major role, they needed advice and guidance, new talent and fresh ideas to integrate into a sustainable oriented world - to help develop the new age. I left Uganda and studied Permaculture design to become such a person, seeking in the future upon my return to build a sustainable agriculture development and consultation company... my life is a living testimony of the power of intention...
In 2010 i returned back with the same philosophies of promoting self development through indigenous culture with a marriage of modern science and sustainable design. I looked for a school to call home and i found it - "if were going to create a revolution big enough to change the direction of the country of Uganda were going to need massive continuous training facilities." The not so little voice in my head makes a lot of sense... The Dewe School of Practical Arts and Science is now a revitalized space providing us with the capacity to facilitate certificate courses and workshops on an ongoing basis within the central region of Uganda.
What i did not know was coming my way was a relationship which has grown into one of the most solid friendships and partnerships imaginable. I was introduced through a mutual friend to a pier just two years younger than myself who was the son of east Africa's largest steel construction product manufacturer. Enjoying a good drink together every now and then and sharing the ideal of living life to its maximum we became friends quickly and it was not long before he noticed that i was completely driven to make the world a better place through sustainable agriculture and education - that i was driven by passion and logic - two sometimes hard to pair qualities. The question was posed "can you come up with a corporate social responsibility project for our company?"
A year latter i was given the chance to present my concept to the board of directors. The Forever Forestry Guild was born, a social project with a to be built home: The Cultural Center of Sustainability - aka the sustain-o-dome, a multimedia presentation center for the promotion of sustainable ethics, technologies, and resource use techniques. The center is about to be constructed this year in the middle of a one acre miniature expo farm which displays many of the most important sustainable farm design systems for the African continent. The center itself can seat up to 80 people and acts as a TED x type venue with HD video and streaming capacity. We are giving a new voice to Uganda, online. The project is a membership based social group that encourages self development and supplies members with comprehensive education and networking opportunities from the day center where they can take part time workshops towards certification in Permaculture design, sustainable community management, and well, the sky is the limit, the center is open for any and all organizations who are actively involved in the push towards a sustainable future. Once the corporation decided to go for it, there has been zero philosophical contention, no issues with funding, and a huge support network of over 1000 employees and growing... the corporate world has more to offer developing nations than NGO's would like to admit...
The year 2011 saw rise to the project development stage. Our example farm and client outreach began. Pictures above is myself and Jon taking a picture with some typical Ugandan clients. These boys are the same age as us... they have 18000 chickens laying about 15000 eggs a day on this farm. They have over 250 acres of land inherited, and they need advice... they like rap music and parties in the city. Uganda is so unique in this way, hundreds of thousands of young people own massive chunks of land and need education in what to do with it. Most of the land is left to pochers who cut the trees and sneak farm on the land... My idea of creating a company that provides these young land owners, not only with comprehensive 'take to the bank' plans for their dynamic organic farms, but also the staff and management training as well has finally been noticed. And BOOM...
Love on Land is born... 24th of May 2012. For a long time i have always thought about how i need to partner with people who have already made millions of dollars. I don't want to deal with banks, im a family oriented person, i prefer working with close friends, working on projects that help everyone in their wake. And this year my dreams came true when, a year after creating the Forever Forestry Guild, my close friend read through a promotional PDF i made which detailed the services of the Love on Land company, looking up from the pages with a look of 'Ah Haaa' .... he say's "Hey why don't we go into partnership on this company!" It was that moment that he realized that the creation of the Cultural Center of Sustainability was going to vivify an entirely new industry in the country, one which needed a company like this to help the industry take shape... kind of like the opposite of Monsanto... we help people grow more variety and gain financial independence through organic farming practices and sustainable business plans... we help people build lush organic soil on their farms, rather than destroy it and everything else in the pursuit of quick returns and perfectly shaped fruits. And we will be creating the largest roster of organic farm managers and designers on the continent... a plan which needs serious investors... and we have them!
So Here i am mid 2012 getting ready to leave my posh mahogany clad office behind and return to Vancouver with a push hard and long success story. Promoting Global Peace Huts next Permaculture Certificate Courses this November. Im looking forward to showing Canadians the potential in Uganda. If your frustrated, Jobless, looking for a more meaningful life, come to Uganda... it is the land of opportunity. Our lifestyle is incredible, beautiful beaches, people, food, jobs, jungles, rivers... its a truly magnificent place to be. I can't say enough about the kind of success which awaits a dedicated soul who travels to this country. It is a massive energy center on the continent, people come and get hooked, spiritual awakenings, getting back down to earth, waking up... all this and more, its quite difficult to describe really. But we do need more well educated people to influx in here... if your not a racist and a bigot, you will find a wonderful life here, just be able to share and be shared, and you will be valued. Its defiantly a developing nation, so don't expect golden streets, in fact don't expect 24hour electricity... but we will get there, Uganda has unlimited potential for growth, truly... we can feed the entire continent from this little country.
This is Butters, the little orphan who showed up covered in mud outside our door one night in 2011. Now he is a person, he talks, he cuddles, he drools, and he moves with a pack of 4 dogs and two other female cats at our school in Dewe. Just a little plug for Cat lovers out there, come to our school and you can cuddle with this little jungle boy yourself.
"Finally the dust has settled and i can sit down and indulge in writing again!"
