The path to starting a travel business wasn’t an easy one for Moses Muwanguzi. The Uganda native became an orphan at age 14 and didn’t have the money to continue going to school.
At the church that took him in, Muwanguzi had a chance meeting with members of an American group touring the country, and when a missionary couple asked how they could help, he mentioned needing a scholarship. They helped with the funding, and he was able to get an education and earn a business degree. Muwanguzi’s passion for helping others—and showing them his country—resulted in him starting Kisa Safaris.
The company’s tours focus on the natural beauty and fascinating animals, such as gorillas, which can be found in Uganda.
“Uganda has almost half of the gorillas in the world, and tourists love to come and experience these gentle giants,” he says. “We take people to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, which are set aside to protect these animals.”
In addition to gorilla trekking, Kisa Safaris has packages that focus on Africa’s Big Five animals, chimpanzees and bird watching.
The company also is heavily involved in faith-based travel and seeks to connect travelers with volunteer projects—similar to the ones that he benefited from—when possible.
“In my village there were many other children like me, without parents or living in absolute poverty, making it impossible for them to attend school. Because I know what that feels like, I decided to start The Emmaus School in my village to help the children who need an education,” says Muwanguzi, who donates 10 percent of tour package receipts to the school.
Reach out to Muwanguzi or go to kisasafaris.com to learn more about gorilla trekking and giving back in Uganda.
Top photo: Gorillas at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Photo by CC Flickr/Ludovic Hirlimann: bit.ly/2DlMb8J
