KICONCO - UGANDA

Kiconco lives in the beautiful mountainous region of Kabale Uganda, one of the last remaining places where the indigenous mountain gorilla exists.  She lives in a small two-bedroom cement home with her two brothers, her mother and father, and her grandmother.  They have no electricity, toilet, running water, windows, or doors in their home.  Kiconco relies on the village well and her small portable solar panel to keep her home clean and lit. 

Kiconco spends most of her day taking care of her parents and her grandmother who has suffered from Malaria flare-ups for the past several years.  She finds that helping her family takes most of her time, and she usually has very little time to do what she wants.  Her hobbies include taking walks, visiting her friends at the local shops, and reading children’s books.  She never went to school, and she has been trying to teach herself to read for the past several years so that she can get a job. 

Cooking is both a hobby and a responsibility for Kiconco.  She prepares basic meals for her parents and grandmother, but when she gets the opportunity she likes to experiment with more diverse ingredients and flavors.  Her favorite dish to make, and her grandmother’s favorite, is a delicious bean, tomato, onion, and spice stew.