Page 30 - Jan-March 2025

| ART FEATURE

Written by: Rungwe Kingdon (Trustee of Rwenzori Sculpture Foundation)
All Images by: Steve Russell
RWENZORI SCULPTURE

FOUNDATION

HE Rwenzori Sculpture Foundation is the hidden The health of the environment around the Foundation
gem of Uganda’s cultural landscape. Nestled in and its conservation is the third major preoccupation
Tthe foothills of the majestic Mountains of the of the organisation. One hundred acres surround
Moon in the small village of Kyemihoko 11kms north the foundry and gallery which have been carefully
of Kasese on the Fort Portal road between the national rewilded growing a wide diversity of indigenous trees.
parks of Queen Elizabeth, Kibale and Rwenzori Originally the land was intensively cultivated for cotton
mountains. production resulting in a depleted and impoverished
fauna and flora with a bird count of only fifty species.
The ethos behind this unique attraction is that culture
can be a force for positive development. To this end, Over the past 18 years the young trees have
the principals of the foundation trained for three years developed into forest, woodland and savannah
in the UK learning the intricate process of lost wax biomes, attracting collectively a wonderful variety of
sculpture casting coming back home to practice these insects, reptiles, birds, and mammals. New species
methods at world class standards in Uganda. arrive every year already over 220 bird varieties have
been recorded taking refuge in this island of trees in a
Alongside and hand in hand with the practice of these sea of agriculture.
craft skills has been the emphasis on involving their
immediate community in the foundations aims. The Situated equidistant between the Savannahs of Queen
health of the surrounding village residents has been Elizabeth national park and the forests of Kibale and
boosted by the development of the Kyemihoko clinic Rwenzori National Parks means that species from both
which treats all but the most serious conditions. Its biomes can be found on site and birdwatching is an
ongoing commitment offering a much higher level of easy and rewarding activity from the comforts of the
clinical services involves a cottage hospital and its gallery and coffee shop.
equipment currently under construction.
From much higher in the mountains, clean water has
been piped down to the villages and site giving the
community access to this most basic commodity and
saving the long walks twice a day to collect a single
Jerry can of water from the river.
Electricity supply, a road, employment opportunities
as well as a small youth centre are other community-
focused objectives of the foundation.

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