CuratEast Journey Along Uganda, Tanzania and Zimbabwe

Starting point

Along the shores of Lake Victoria, Nalyoba Landing Site stands as a vital fishing community where water, livelihoods, and culture intersect.

Through conversations with residents and local water champions trained by the Uganda National Women Fish Organisation, the Curate team explored the realities shaping daily life at the landing site — from water pollution and sanitation challenges to the critical role women play in sustaining fisheries and community wellbeing.

The stories from Nalyoba reveal a growing movement toward community-led conservation, citizen science, and protecting the future of Lake Victoria.

Near the Kenyan border on Lake Victoria, Maduwa Landing Site is a vibrant fishing and trading hub shaped by the rhythms of water and commerce.

Working closely with local communities and water champions supported by the Uganda National Women Fish Organisation, the Curate team documented conversations around environmental pressures, fish safety, and the invisible labour of women within fisheries spaces.

The site reflects both the challenges facing lakeside communities and the collective efforts emerging to protect water ecosystems and sustain local livelihoods.

As one of the major fishing ports along Lake Victoria, Majanji Landing Site offers a powerful glimpse into the relationship between water, economy, and community life in eastern Uganda.

Through engagements with residents, fish workers, and local water champions trained by the Uganda National Women Fish Organisation, the Curate team uncovered stories centered on water quality, environmental stewardship, and the barriers women continue to face in fisheries governance.

Majanji highlights how local knowledge and community action are becoming essential in safeguarding both livelihoods and the lake itself.

Located in Kirumi village, Butiama district and operating under the local government of Tanzania is Kirumi Health Center Borehole . It serves Kirumi Health Center, the residents of Kirumi village and the surrounding villages, to give them access to clean and safe water.

While interacting with the ordinary water users, supported by Lake Victoria Water Basin Board, the CuratEast team investigated how the water site influenced the daily livelihoods and practices of the everyday water users while capturing the environmental and social dynamics within the basin and their conservation narratives. While faced with the realities of climate change, the community has grown to treasure the borehole and is fully committed to protecting it in both regulation and constructive action.

In the village of Kirumi within the Mara river basin exists a key fresh water site called Nyangubha spring, a natural spring with water flowing from the Mara river to Lake Victoria in Kenya.

While interacting with the ordinary water users, supported by Lake Victoria Water Basin Board, the CuratEast team investigated women’s leadership roles in water governance, cultural practices, rituals and taboos linked to ecological regulation

Positioned near the Mara River, Kwa Wambura is a rural settlement in the Mara Region of northern Tanzania.

Through interactions with local residents and community leaders organised under Water User Associations (WUAs) trained by Blue Victoria, the team observed and documented women’s daily livelihoods, environmental practices, and local conservation narratives. These included fishing-related businesses, papyrus harvesting from surrounding wetlands, and furniture-making using papyrus materials, offering insight into the environmental, social, and economic dynamics shaping everyday life in the community around the river.

“Voices for Water” – Inclusive Freshwater Governance for Sustainable Communities in the Ruvuma Basin

Zuvaharinagodo Community Garden started in 2021 with women making up most of the garden members. It was set up to help families get steady food supply and also support households generate small income. As they grow maize, potatoes, beans, and vegetables there. The men mostly help with security and heavy farm tasks.

With the support of Enviro Press, who train them on water and farming, Curate East undertook interviews capturing information on the farming methods, water management and decision making protocols in the community. With the presence of strong rules, and sharing of work to protect the land, women have clearly shown that they can drive food and water care in any community.

Nyarayapera Community Garden lies along Makowole River. Two villages, Jacob’s Dale One and Two, run it together. It started in 2016 as a one shared garden space, after the river damage that had been caused by people farming directly along the river without control.

Now many families depend on it for both food and small incomes. With the help of Enviro Press which supports this kind of work in the region, by training groups on water use and local rules, Curate East visited this garden and gathered information on how people use water from the river, observed how leaders manage rules and roles. Amidst the growing demand for land for farming and putting pressure on the river banks, shared gardens have helped protect rivers and wetlands in the area

Kubvoruno Gully is a small river and farming area. People rely on it for water, fish, and crops daily. It is a shared garden that has helped keep farming away from river edges and has reduced damage to land and water.

With support from Enviro Press, who train people on fair use of water systems, Curate East investigated their farming technologies, fishing, river rules and also how leaders manage water access. With the establishment of strong local rules and giving women clear roles in water care, rivers and fish life have been protected.

Ending point