One more picture from my brief trip to western Uganda.
I came across this scene at the site of a washed out road near Lake Albert. What's happening here? Three guys are rebuilding a dirt road with spades and axes. Looking on is a line of young men who have strung a piece of twine across the road and are demanding cash from anyone who wants to pass. Behind me, out of the picture, is another line of young men to catch people going the other way. Their argument? We take it upon ourselves to fix the road, you pay us for it.
Extortion is one word for it. Necessity is another. This is what happens in a place that has been neglected by the government for decades. There is no infrastructure, and there are no jobs. Until oil was found here a few yaers ago, even driving out to western Uganda from Kampala was a near impossibility.
I'm not sure if this is "community empowerment," "capacity building," or "awareness-raising." But you have to admire these guys for their business sense.