MOUNTAIN LIFE - Coast Mountains | Winter Spring 2020

members to purchase the land at Musas that served as the Tour of Karamoja base camp. Eventually the plan is to use shipping containers to create a clubhouse to serve as a basecamp for KAMBA’s homegrown bike industry. The containers will arrive full of more donated bikes from the West, along with extra tools, spare parts, medical equipment, clothing and anything else the Sea to Sky biking community might be willing to share. It would be naive to think mountain biking can solve the myriad social problems that Karamoja faces. The area is still very much behind the curve when it comes to education, disease, hunger, alcoholism and barbaric cultural practices such as female genital mutilation. Many NGOs and aid organizations have rolled back their support since arriving in the ‘80s, leaving the locals dependent on handouts and with little promise of change to come. All this presents an even stronger case to bolster tourism in a struggling region. The simple reason is the financial benefits of bringing new wealth to the area’s operators and service establishments such as food and lodging. But equally important is the exchange that happens when cultures interact, and that is very much a two-way street. Across the world, it has been proven that access to a quality bike can make a significant difference to people’s lives. Perhaps the lessons learned through KAMBA will help set a model that will use mountain biking and active tourism as an economic driver to more regions in Uganda. By sharing knowledge from our experiences, it is possible to bring tangible hope to a community that lacks resources but has an abundance of passion. Many who are fortunate have a desire to share—they just need the proper vehicle to extend their generosity. What the new breed of mountain bikers are building in Karamoja is that exact possibility. karamojabike.org The 2019 Mountain Life Adventure Grant enabled KAMBA members to purchase the land at Musas that served as the Tour of Karamoja base camp. 54 Peter Ichumar (L) and Isaac Ejopu (R), two of KAMBA's founding members, exploring the foothills of Mount Moroto. JULIUS LEMUKUL The Jackson’s Hartebeest is a common sight at Kidepo National Park in Karamoja. STEVE ANDREWS