The Pearl of Africa

I received my country assignment from Rotary International and I will be going to Kampala, Uganda to study at Makerere University. Uganda (also known as the Pearl of Africa) is in Central East Africa and is most seen on the Discovery channel with the migration of Lions, Hyenas, and other Safari animals. It’s a fairly tropical climate and is land locked with Lake Victoria in the southern part of the country. That particular lake is where the Nile River starts.

Kampala is the capital and is the most developed part of Uganda from what I understand. Lately, Uganda has been on the media’s radar because recently President Obama has sent some military advisors to help train the Ugandan military. Uganda is also a place where many missionaries go to volunteer and spread the word. The country is mainly Christian and has a pretty good split on Catholic/Orthodox and Protestant Christianity.

Uganda gained independence from the British in 1962 and has since been on a quest to find its own form of democracy. This is what peaked my interest in Uganda. As an aspiring Human Rights Attorney, I want to better understand and get an on the ground view of a fairly new independent country.  There are stereotypes about developing countries…some good and some bad. This Ambassadorial Scholarship is to promote global understanding and cultural awareness and that is what I intend to do while in Uganda.