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Forgive me a litte detour… It would be worth mentioning the reason I missed the meeting in Rushaga: Uganda had sent me to Slovenia, my country of birth, to promote tourism in the Pearl of Africa. How it got to that was fascinating…

In another life I ran a multimedia studio on the equator, near Uganda Martyrs University, my Alma Mater. The central person was Roger, a volunteer from Slovenia who used to work as an audio engineer for a big commercial radio station. Roger later went independent, establishing a gadget repair service for a thousand university people stuck in the village and working as an audio producer. When he returned to Europe, he came with his biggest score: his wife Catherine Nakato.

Catherine initially felt miserable in Slovenia, alone and bored. But she is an enterprising woman, so she found relief in connecting Africans in the country. When the Uganda Embassy in Rome looked for ways to do a promotional event in Slovenia they inevitably bumped into her. And she told them they needed me…

They went out of their way to bring me, booking a more expensive ticket for me from Kigali in Rwanda, the airport closest to my lake. I was to be one of four presenters, the only Slovenian, and that made me feel a little under pressure.

It wasn’t stage-fright; I’m naturally at home in front of any audience. But how to make it worth it for Uganda to fly me to another continent for a slot of 20 minutes?! I discussed this with my colleague Raymond Engena from Uganda Wildlife Authority who was to appear before me. It eventually dawned on me: video. Video is my medium. I edited a 10-minute compilation while the session was already taking place, talked a little after it and thankfully succeeded in making everyone happy.

I met all kinds of nice people at the “Uganda – Slovenia Conference 2016” but the biggest joy was getting to know Ike. Officially known as Israel Rwankuba, he came to former Yugoslavia to study electrical engineering more than 30 years ago. He was at first disappointed that they didn’t send him to Belgrade but to some provincial capital with unpronounceable name, Ljubljana, however that proved to be a blessing in disguise. Once Yugoslavia fell apart, he found himself in its most prosperous former republic and became a Slovenian citizen.

I had heard about a Ugandan in Kranj, my home town, but only now did I bump into him! He was a joy to be around; he radiated that Ugandan calmness and kindness I subconsciously connect with.

… I should tell you something amusing now. After I left East Africa in 1999, I felt homesickness for the first time. There was a show on TV Slovenia, something from Tanzania. For a moment, an office space full of Africans appeared on the screen. Couldn’t be more boring. Yet my mind produced warmth and a happy thought: “My people!” …

I was very happy when he texted me some days ago, asking if we could meet again. He adjusted his programs to join me at a presentation by Tomo Križnar, a famous/notorious peace activist who is trying to protect the people caught in the mess of Sudan, especially the Nuba. His latest idea is insane enough that you must adore it: to use drones to oversee a safe zone, a “national park for people”.

“This is not the Africa I know,” said Ike, amazed. We agreed that the only thing Tomo should change about his presentations is to call Sudan “Sudan” and not “Africa”, but otherwise: respect! We invited Tomo for a drink with Ciril Jazbec, my photographer friend.

A couple of years ago I helped Ciril make a story about the digital Ugandan youth, the startups of Kampala. Then he asked me to assist him in writing a pitch for the National Geographic Magazine, and he managed to convince them! Next year, that distinguished global magazine will feature Ciril’s photo story about connected East Africa; there is probably no bigger achievement for a photographer – and for the image of our region. Nat Geo Magazine is usually about Tomo’s Africa but now we will be able to show our continent’s contemporary face; smartphone apps, solar inventions, immense hunger … for success.

Tomo’s family obligations stopped him from joining us but a part of him went with me. The biggest item in my luggage. He gifted me a gorgeous book “Oil and Water” that now lies on my desk at Lake Bunyonyi. A reminder that a different Africa exists, one not as fortunate, peaceful and green as our Gorilla Highlands…

text: Miha Logar