Born and raised in Uganda, Solome Nanvule was once a teenage mother, deserted and abandoned by family and friends. Life as we know it, offered her a second chance through Fr. Reinard Pelletier whom she met in 1986 when she was studying at St. Theresa Mitala Maria primary school where he was the Parish priest of Mitala Maria- he paid her school fees from primary to university.

Raised by a single mother, Nanvule lived a poverty striken life since her and her siblings had to look food for survival. Since Fr. Pelletier had enrolled her in the boarding section she would get food and be cared for hence she was able to send some of her pocket money to her mother. This money was used to pay rent for her family and also as a supplement to her siblings’ school dues.

Nanvule got pregnant at 19 years of age after university at Makerere and her mother was furious at her because this would squander any chances of her going to Canada for the World Youth Day celebrations which she was to attend after she had been identified to attend by Fr. Pelletier.
Nanvule with children at the home. Picture: PTMOF

Nanvule with children at the home.
Picture: PTMOF

She later started an organisation called Pelletier Teenage Mothers Foundation [PTMOF] in memory of Fr. Pelletier who stood by her even after she got pregnant at an early age. “Fr. Pelletier requested me to visit some of the girls he had helped. Most of them had dropped out of school and had become mothers,” she added.

It’s after seeing the crude, undesired, and hostile life that the girls back at home were going through that she decided to start PTMOF. She started right from a friend’s garage in Nansana, Wakiso district where she started with five teenage mothers who she taught how to make beads. She later moved the project to a house she had built for her late mother in Nansana West Zone II.

“I was a young mother, and I know what it means to be a young mother- victimised by society, disregarded by friends and family. I have a passion for young mothers,” she commented.

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Tailoring at the home.

Making beads was the primary job done by the girls until they included bakery and tailoring to the extent of building a local bakery at the home. With the money she earns from ‘kyeyo’ in Canada, Nanvule managed to purchase sewing machines and salon equipment for the different projects at the teenage mothers home.
Teenage mothers in the home salon. Picture: PTMOF

Teenage mothers in the home salon.
Picture: PTMOF

According to Nanvule, over 50 mothers have in the past years benefited from the projects seeing that most of them are now doing private businesses as salon owners or operators of small bakeries. According to her, giving the teenage girls a second chance after they have been abandoned is not only uplifting but also life changing.

“Despite my past, I am a professional social worker with two degrees, and married with two awesome children just because I was given a second chance- we all need it.”

At the moment, Pelletier Teenage Mothers Foundation has acquired land and they are looking to build a 4 storey vocational institute, complete with housing facilities for young mothers and their children, a health centre with a midwife, a babies home, a nursery school, an emergency shelter, and administration.
The plan for the new home. Credit: PTMOF

The plan for the new home.
Credit: PTMOF
A group photo with some of the teenage mothers at the home.

A group photo with some of the teenage mothers at the home.
Bobi Wine will also be present for their first fundraising dinner.

Bobi Wine will also be present for their first fundraising dinner.

Ugandans love food- not necessarily the rolex. They love their local food and most are proud to be called foodies. This might just be one of the reasons as to why the Kampala Restaurant week glided back this year [June 1-11]. With it came the showcasing of a wide variety of Ugandan foods, loved and enjoyed by many Ugandans.
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Photo: The Pearl Guide

This [Kampala Restaurant Week] is an initiative by the Pearl Guide Uganda, a household magazine to boost the food and service industry through giving back in the form of subsidized meals and special offers from selected restaurants in the country. A chance for everyone to have a meal at their favourite restaurant at a much fair and quite affordable price -it’s that interesting.

It’s not just about food, but also bringing together friends and family- even the lovers enjoy this period being filling it with cozy binding but also enjoyable dinners. It’s about the whole aspect of getting together, for a good meal- smiles.
Photo: Tweny Benjy

Photo: Tweny Benjy

With a fusion of rich imports from Jamaica and Mexico, our very own matooke and ground nut stew took center stage in this dish that was coined the Oxtail-Matooke [Fuse box] at Piato restaurant in Kampala, one of the 30 participating restaurants. The meal is a combination of Carribean Oxtail-Matooke fusion served with vegetable stuffed tortilla.
The awesome fusion meal. Photo: Tweny Benjy

The awesome fusion meal.
Photo: Tweny Benjy

“With all the exciting cuisine going around during Kampala Restaurant Week, sometimes all you want is a little matooke, or kalo… gonja perhaps? Those hallmark’s that remind you of mama’s cooking. We teamed up with 6 restaurants to bring you the Tusker Lite Fuse Box, a celebration of Uganda Fusion Cuisine. Each of these restaurants showcased a Specialty Ugandan + Exotic Fusion Mash Up Dish at UGX 30,000 and each order came with the easy drinking Tusker Lite.” Shared Philip Kalibwani of Pearl Guide [Business Development]
The Fuse Box Photo:Tweny Benjy

The Fuse Box
Photo:Tweny Benjy

Other restaurants that partcipated in the Kampala Restaurant week include; Endiro Coffee, Design Agenda, Cafe Javas, The Bistro, Tamarai, Cafe Ceylon, Cafe Mamba, Emin Pasha Hotel, Dolphin Suites, Jinja Sailing club, Pineapple Bay Resort, The Lawns restaurant, Yujo Japanese restaurant, Protea Hotel, Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort, Holy Crepe, Java House, Cafe Javas, Kabira Country Club, Pizza Hut, and Pizza Connection, among others.
The Fuse Box Photo: Tweny Benjy

The Fuse Box
Photo: Tweny Benjy

“Restaurant week has been a proven tradition amongst many major cities around the World including Cape Town, London, New York and Tokyo to name a few.”- Philip Kalibwani.

“It was time for Kampala to continue the foodie tradition with a Second Edition! We teamed up with chefs from forty of the finest restaurants in the city to create one-of-a-kind Three (3) Course Menus to tickle your taste buds. This year, we also took the tradition to Jinja with the participation of Jinja Sailing Club, Bulago Island with the participation of Pineapple Bay and Entebbe with the participation of Cafe Javas Entebbe.” Philip Kalibwani of Pearl Guide added.
The Fuse Box Photo: Tweny Benjy

The Fuse Box
Photo: Tweny Benjy

This is the second year Kampala Restaurant week has taken over the city. The lovers of fine dining are excitedly looking forward to what is in stock for the next year. This tradition has had a positive impact on the people of Uganda as they seek restaurants out to take advantage of their irresistible menus and offers. We are all now waiting for the third edition of this epic tradition.

If ever there is a list of comfort foods here in Uganda, katogo must be first on that list. Katogo basically means adding whatever ingredients are available in a saucepan and putting them on a stove until everything is cooked. It is that simple.  Aside from the tedious task of peeling the potatoes and yams beforehand, katogo is the kind of comfort food that is effortless. I decided to combine three tubers; sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, and yams (the purple kind). The tubers give the meal a warm earthy flavour while the beans add richness making it ideal for gloomy weather.

What you will need:

Onions, chopped

Garlic cloves, finely chopped

Tomatoes, chopped

Yams halved

Sweet potatoes, halved

Irish potatoes, halved

Beans, boiled

Green onions (as garnish), finely chopped

Cooking oil

Chilli oil, a few drops

Curry powder

Salt

Method

On high fire, Add cooking oil to the sauce pan and let it get hot. Add the garlic and onions and wait for them to become translucent. Add the tomatoes, chilli oil, curry powder and salt and stir. Add the Irish potatoes first, then the yams and then the sweet potatoes. Top with the beans and cover pan for about 10 minutes. Add half a glass of water and stir so that the beans are evenly distributed. Let the Katogo cook till the Irish potatoes are soft and tender.  Remove from fire and serve warm.

To make a soupy katogo, add more water. I did not put any specific measurements to the ingredients because when making katogo, we don’t measure. Instincts are used depending on how many people are to be cooked for. Clearly I was cooking for a full house and thus the large tray.

I hope you enjoy making and eating this katogo because it is comfort food and the weather allows so. Also, what are your favorite katogo ingredients?

Written by Sophie, follow her blog akitcheninuganda.com for more.