By Annah Nafula
There is hope for fishermen around Lake Kyoga as after Angie Genade through Rhino Fund together with partners sought to have a temporary solution to their unemployment since government banned them from fishing.
In April this year Government stopped fishermen from fishing siting depletion of fish from the lake caused by poor fishing methods. Government this was done to streamline fishing on the lake and register fishermen and their boats.
Nakasongora Distict chairperson Sam Kigula says many fishermen's life off the lake is hard because fishermen can barely afford basic needs for their families.
It is against this background Angie who is also the executive director Rhino Fund, created some employment slots at the Rhino Sanctuary for these fishermen to be employed. “The some trees at the sanctuary have over grown causing the grass underneath not to grow well. It is a challenge we want to these fishermen to deal with at a fee because Rhinos entirely depend on grass.” She says.
Angie says that Rhino Fund Uganda doesn’t have all the money to take care of all the 80 fishermen they hope to employ on the seven thousand Hectare sanctuary that is why they sourced for partners who will help them meet this cost. She is hopeful that though the pay here might not match up to the fishing profit, it will at least help them to manage their families until the lake is opened.