There
are fewer places with a memorable legacy that boast such a
short, yet rich history as Nshenyi Village. The village sprung
up as a vibrant habitable place in the late 60s. Initially
it was a game reserve that protected a rich wildlife, including
zebras, buffaloes and lions. However, the poor policies of
the then dictatorship government disregarded the conservation
of the wild, and people replaced the animals. By the late
70s, the area was virtually, nevertheless sparsely, habited
with a few remnants of wild animals. Although the animals
were gone, the flora remains to-date practically unspoiled.
The savannah grasslands, that flourish during the rainy seasons
and blossom during the dry seasons, are as immaculate as on
the day of creation...
Just like the village,
the farm also came into being in the early 70s. Construction
of the farmhouse started in 1973 and 33 years later the thorough-minded
proprietors are still putting the never ending, yet perfect
finishing touch. There is an astounding flurry of tales about
the early days of the construction of the house that would
transport you back to the historic days of cave men. The rooms
that pythons were thought to sleep in while builders retreated
after work; the company of buffaloes in the heat of the sun
as they leisurely passed the house while feeding; all spine-tingling
stories that would enchant your curiosity.
Nshenyi, like most
African names, has a meaning. Literally translated it means
a "sandy place". The soils are fertile enough to
sustain both animal and crop growth. There are numerous crops
grown in the village but the outstanding ones are beans, bananas,
corn, cassava, potatoes, sorghum, millet, groundnuts and yams.
There is a new initiative on a massive scale that is currently
promoting the money minting Aloe Vera. This is because the
sandy soils are so ideal for the thriving of Aloe Vera crop.
Apart from the dominant long-horned Ankole cattle, also native
and exotic goats and sheep are reared in the village. As all
famous villages have, there are even a few razor-sharp-tall-talking-men
who claim to rear crocodiles and hippos. People have a right
to make claims and you have a right to come and prove them
right or wrong!
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