Awesome African Adventure. Day 8-April 16, 2025

Entebbe to Buhoma Village, Bwindi area via Kisoro

The weather here in Entebbe has been kind. This morning at 3am  I awoke to pouring rain and a little thunder. I think it’s been steadily raining since. 

Breaky at 5:45. Pick up at 6:40. 

Out to airport following a short detour to collect a forgotten camera bag – no names, no pack drill! 

Raining consistently. Into the airport, put ourselves through the scanner again.

Had to remove shoes, jewellery, watches, shoes, cameras out of bags. Only to walk through and pack it again. At least there were trays to put our stuff in today.

Onto our check in desk. Past leaking roof. And through yet another security scanner. 

Waited at our gate for a few minutes before being personally called to our flight. Onto a minibus with our luggage already onboard. 

Our plane is a small Cessna Caravan. I took a preventative travel sickness tablet just in case and was able to sit behind Victor the co-pilot. 

Pilot Paul and Victor take off early at 7:52. 

Still raining, had some clear skies and lots of cloud and rain as we flew over Lake Victoria towards Kisoro, where we stopped at 9:20  to pick up two passengers I think. A short 5 minutes or so. 

Noticed lots of unfinished building/houses. Wilson told us yesterday that it can take about 7 years to build a house. Ugandans have to wait to have enough money to build in stages and bits and pieces. 

Then a further 15 minute flight to Kihini. Landing on a dirt strip at 9:42. 

Ivan from Ride 4 a woman, picked us up to drive us an a hour and half or so – longer because it’s wet. 

We are in the province and town of Kisoro. Today we will drive on both paved and dirt roads (African massage). 

Some other facts I heard Ivan share (due to travel sickness pill kicking in I was drowsy and sleeping) 

• 90% of Ugandans are Christian. 
• In 1901 eucalyptus trees were introduced- we drove past some plantations today. A good quick growing plant for building supplies. 
• Gorillas like the Eucalyptus too. They come out from forest to eat the eucalyptus- it makes them happy, they dance around according to Ivan. 
• Cows are known as mobile banks. The people invest their money in cows. 
• We passed coffee and tree plantations. Coffee is picked twice a year, black tea daily. 
• The road we drove along is basically the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. 
• Drove past  the Pangolin rescue centre at Ruganda.  

Then onto Bwindi. The road was rough and looked incredibly slippery. Our van was 2wd and Ivan did a great job navigating pot holes, ruts, and broken down buses. 

Came across a pair of bikes carrying a huge bag of coffee each coming down a very steep slippery track with excellent balance. The front handbrake was getting a workout that’s for sure. 

We arrived at Ride 4 a Woman and Eve and Suzie had a teary reunion and we all met Eve and sat to chat. We are being accommodated in Eve and Dennis’ home, not at the R4W accommodation, so feeling very special.  We ordered our lunch and then went to the house to settle in – Suzie and I spoilt with a room each rather than twin share. 

The house is rather big. We dumped our gear. 

Back to Ride 4 a Woman reception/dining area for lunch with Eve. Suzie and I had vegies and rice, Mary and Phil had spaghetti carbonara – both lovely. Dessert was a pineapple ring – so fresh and sweet. 

Eve then gave us a tour of Ride 4 a Woman – 

• the accommodation facilities, 
• the basket weaving and sewing areas (both being used for weaving of 300 woven mats for a nearby lodge)
• the solar panels and battery connected to new generator to power the place 24/7. 

A local tourist lodge came to Eve to ask if the weavers could make mats for the ceiling of the lodge. So all the workers at Ride 4 a Woman have been turned over to mat making. They are working in three shifts to get through the massive job. The workers earn between $1.50-$2.50 a day. This is good money for them. Eve shared that the project won’t make money but the work for the people is high value. They are not yet half way finished. The ladies (mostly) and men were working till 10pm. The detail in the strips made from Banana leaves is incredible and then these are joined lengthways to make a mat. Somehow they will be on the ceiling. The photos don’t do it justice.

Ride4aWoman is a Non-Government Organisation founded by Eve and husband Dennis in 2009. 

The whole idea was the empowerment of women struggling with the challenges associated with HIV, domestic violence and poverty in Bwindi, Uganda.

Evelyn Habasa was one of eight children. Her mother only wore one red dress which she washed by night ready for the next day.

She wanted a better future for her children and for the women of Buhoma. Eve was inspired to fulfill that vision and so Ride 4 a Woman was born.

The programme started by renting bicycles to tourists and expanded into a sewing programme. This led to the building of the Bwindi Women’s Community Centre in 2012. Today, Ride 4 A Woman strives to empower many local women by providing them with training in local crafts, textiles, bicycle repair and English instruction.

You can volunteer, donate, stay at the Bwindi Community Homestay, or buy beautiful craft products.

E: info@ride4awoman.org 

W: http://www.ride4awoman.org

One of Suzie’s friends- Tricia Salau visited Bwindi to see the Gorillas and met Eve. They were talking and Tricia wanted to find out where to purchase some African fabrics for quilting. Eve didn’t know what quilting was. So a seed was planted. 

Tricia and her cousin, Lynne, friend Jill and  Lyn’s  husband Rob returned to assist in establishing the sewing program. The Inner Wheel group Trish and Aunty Sue belong to raised funds to support the building of the sewing building. Somehow they also purchased flat packed treadle machines and brought them to Bwindi and taught the women to sew. 

Now there is so much more. 

We went for a walk into the Village proper and the rain started so we wandered back for a coffee and popcorn and time to sit and write and share photos etc. 

We sat and listened to the creek running and bided time. Our orders for dinner were taken and we opted to eat at 7pm. 

All the staff have been trained to greet us and serve us in English. They are beautiful at it. 

Returned ‘home’ to our house to grab some long pants and long sleeves as it had cooled down a little. 

Beautiful meal shared with Eve. I opted for the carrot soup and the Chicken – both delicious. We all chose the chocolate fudge biscuit – which despite looking like hedgehog was more of a mousse consistency. 

Then home again with Eve and watched ‘missing you’ on Netflix. A bit hard to reconcile village life with tv just like home. 

BTW at tea we learnt that the Village is actually Buronga Village. The council area is Bwindi as in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest which is where tourists come to see the Gorillas.