Donors Visit DLLN-Ugannda Projects
The President of Kolschowsky Foundation from the United states of America Mr. Tim Kolschowsky, together with a delegation from Center for sustainable rural livelihood led by Dr. Gideon Nadiope, national director of the Iowa State University – Uganda and the top management of DLLN - Uganda , recently visited humanitarian projects and Communities in Kiroba, Kisozi, Kagulu and Kidera
The Two -days visit was among the monitoring trips by donors to asses the impact of the DLLN project on the rural communities especially the Benefactors. It was also meant to asses the sitution in Budiope sub region which was affected by the heavy rains in August and forge a way of delivering support to local communities in the region, which due to the heavy rains and winds, remains severely impacted by widespread destruction of infrastructure, including homes, water and sanitation networks, agriculture and education facilities.
Among the three projects covering Improved livelihoods through skilling, Agriculture, Water and Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) donors visited Kagulu health Center II. The health Center, operated by Buyende district local government, delivers maternal health care, internal medicine, pediatric and psychosocial support to vulnerable families who may otherwise not have access to such essential services. With women and girls of reproductive age comprising around 25 per cent of Kagulu and sorrounding areas, Kolschowsky Foundation heard directly from DLLN -Uganda critical need for safe water hence donating a borehole to the community in 2021. 
However, due to the distance from the health center to the borehole, it became difficult for patients to have access to water especially during night which compelled the donors to construct a piped water system at the hospital and it's almost near completion.
Another Project which is being implemented is Improved livelihoods through skilling and it is in its second year of operation. This project has yielded alot and many youth who have completed the training have formed groups and now have business with support from DLLN Uganda. Case in point is the group which the delegation visited in Kiroba Trading Center, it owns a Crafts shop which makes Crafts shoes, Neckleses , beaded wallets, among others. These youth were trained from DLLN - Uganda Kitayunjwa skilling center and were given materials to support them after completing the course and sitting for the Directotarate of industrial Training examinations.
Other Groups were found in Kisozi trading center which were operating saloons and Tailoring shops. The guests received entertainment with cultural dances at kisozi Skilling Center.
In Kidera, the delegation Visited some communities which were affected by the rains and a community owned School ( Kitaidhumba Primary School) which was established by the locals in 2015 due to the long distance from the community to other primary schools in the district. The school has all the seven primary classes, three structures with a population of over 700 pupils and lack standard sanitation facilities. As a result of this visit, the school is going to receive a borehole and improved pit latrines from DLLN-Uganda with funding from Kolschowsky Foundation. Kidera Town Market id also going to receive one borehole.
The Second day began with a meeting of DLLN-Uganda staff and Mr. Tim Koloscowsky in the presence of Dr.Gideon Nadiope. Later a closed door Planning meeting meeting was held By the Director of DLLN Uganda - Prince Kitimbo Daniel Joshua, the Administrator DLLN-Uganda -Walya Peter , President of Kolschowsky Foundation - Tim Kolschowsky and Country Director IOWA State University Uganda Program - Dr. Gideon Nadiope .
Later on, the Deligation Visited the king of Busoga HRH. Wilberforce Gabula Nadiope , who spared some quality time and gave the a tour amidst preparations for his royal wedding. Various heritage and Tourism sites were visited including Bukaleba in Mayuge District where the five chiefs of Busoga sat down and agreed to form Busoga Kingdom.
The other historical site was the Luba Thurston Tower. At the end of a thin 22.7km murram road off Mayuge main road, snaking through bushes and forests of pine and eucalyptus trees, is Luba Thurston Fort – once a slave trading site before 1900. The fort is on the shores of Lake Victoria, which facilitated the trade that happened there, the monument built in 1900.
Traces of early settlements and movements are thus still evident in the area.
The memorial site serves as one of the only remaining evidence of slavery in Uganda. This site was an important staging post for slaves being taken from Uganda to the south of Lake Victoria and, for some, onwards to the East Africa coast and Zanzibar.
Located in Walumbe village, Bukatube subcounty in Mayuge district, the site comprises of six caves on the banks of Lake Victoria.
The caves are reported to have been used by armed guards who kept a watch over the lake for potential enemies who would steal their human merchandise, watch over the arriving ships from Mwanza in Tanzania and Kisumu in Kenya, but also make sure that slaves did not escape. Behind the caves is a long trench built in a square form using stones. It is reported to have served as the slave holding dungeon, before the slaves were loaded onto the ships.
There is also a stone tower, a pyramid-like structure. It is reported by the locals that it served as the “control tower” for the ships, others say it was built in memory of Major Thurston. Hence the name Fort Thurston though the locals prefer to refer to the site as Fort Luba in memory of Chief NyagoZigombye-Luba.
The watch tower had fallen but was restored in 2021 by the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities. About 200 meters away from Fort Luba/Fort Thurston, a sacred tree is reported by the locals to have been used by Ugandans and later the British for prayers. For the African, this tree is the home to the spirit of the first man to settle in the area, called Walumbe, from which the village gets its name. In the local Lusoga language, Walumbe also loosely translates as the ‘place of death’.
Lastly , the delegation visted the Burial grounds of Bishop Hannington on Kaya Hill. The site is located on Kyando hill. The hill is located about 13 km south-west of Mayuge town and along the hill; there is a popular church which was built to commemorate the life of Bishop James Hannington’s Journey in Busoga.
The existing documentary, it is believed that at this point where Bishop Hannington died on October 29th, 1885 while attempting to spread Christianity which the local leaders by then had forbidden. Hannington has been regarded as the first martyr to be killed on 29th October, 1885. Many Christians from many parts of the country and world as a whole visit Kyando to celebrate his life in commemoration of the life of Bishop Hannington.
The hill its self has remained a hill of great significance since it is important because many Christians remember the blood that was shed for Christ and the word of God.
In the Evening, the King and the delegation had a closed door meeting at his palace in Igenge and later headed to kamuli , Budhumbula palace for a dinner with the staff of DLLN - Uganda and Iowa state University uganda Program.