About Uganda Buddhist Centre

The Uganda Buddhist Centre is the first Buddhist Centre in Uganda. We are located on two acres of land at Bulega, Garuga, Entebbe (about 5 km off Kampala-Enteebe main road). The centre is open to all people who wish to cultivate peace, harmony and happiness.

Our vision is as follows:

•     To propagate the teachings of the Buddhism in Uganda and other African countries.
•     To establish Buddhist Temple where monks, nuns and other people can live and practice the Dhamma in Uganda.
•     To offer organised insight meditation retreats and Buddhist study programs to the general public.
•     To provide a space for a limited number of lay people, who will assist in running of the centre.
•     To organize social, and cultural activities.

The reatreats will be run by the Resident monks, nuns or other visiting Dhamma teacher.

About Uganda:

Uganda (The Pearl of Africa):

It was Winston Churchill, at the beginning of the century, who said, "...for magnificence, for variety of form and colour, for profusion of brilliant life - plants, birds, insects, reptiles, beasts - for the vast scale... Uganda is truly "the pearl of Africa. In deed, Uganda, in the heart of East Africa, is full of the wonders of nature. With landscapes ranging from snowcapped peaks, through broad savannah and tropical rainforests to arid deserts, as well as significant wetlands. It is a land of shimmering lakes and turbulent rivers, with over a third of the country covered by water. Lake Victoria, on the southern boundary is the largest lake in Africa and the source of the River Nile.

Size:

The countries covers 241,139 square kilometers, including 44,000 square kilometers of open water or swampland.

The country is small and poor but recently it is one of the fastest growing economy in Africa .  Its population is approximately 27 million (according to the statistics of 2005).

Uganda is in East Africa, surrounded by Sudan in the north, Congo in the west, Rwanda in the south. It shares Lake Victoria with Tanzania and Kenya in the southeast.

Topography:

Mostly plateau that slopes gently toward north, with central down warp occupied by Lake Kyoga. Mountains on east and west. Highest peak of Mount Stanley is Margherita (5,113 meters). Approximately one-half of Lake Victoria (10,200 square kilometers) lies within Uganda and is source of Nile River –the longest river in the world. Although the country lies astride the equator, most of Uganda is on a plateau 3,600-6,000 feets (900-1,830) metres above sea level.

Climate:

Equatorial climate, moderated by altitude. Rainfall varies from more than 2,100 mm around Lake Victoria to about 500 mm in northeast. Vegetation heaviest in south; thins to savanna and dry plains in northeast.

Weather:

The majority of the country has a tropical climate, which varies according to altitude. During the year the hottest months are from December to February when the temperature reaches 29 degrees Celsius. The rainy seasons are from April to May and October to November, with the wettest month being April.

Temperatures in some parts of the country can be quite cool owing to the country's high altitude, despite its position on the equator. The mountain areas become much cooler and the top of Mount Elgon is often covered with snow. Other parts of the country are much warmer. There is heavy rain between March and May and between October and November.

The best times to visit are December-March and June-September. It can be somewhat rainy then, but not as rainy as in the rainy season, March-June. December-February and June-July are the driest times, when things can even be a bit dusty.

Culture of Uganda

Uganda's population is made up of a complex and diverse range of tribes. On Lake Kyoga forms the northern boundary for the Bantu-speaking peoples, who dominate much of east, central southern Africa. In Uganda they include the Baganda and several other tribes. In the north live the Lango and the Acholi, who speak Nilotic languages. To the east are the Iteso and Karamojong, who speak a Nilotic language. A few Pygmies live in the forests of the west. For the most part, Ugandan cuisine consists of stodge filler with beans or a meat sauce. Main dishes are usually centred on beef, pork or mutton and the starch comes from maize meal. Matoke (cooked bananas), are widely loved by most of Ugandans.

Religious Life:

Christianity:

While about 66 per cent of the population is Christian, the remaining 23 per cent still practices animism (traditional beliefs), Islam, Sikhs and Hindus.The Christian religion was introduced in Uganda in 1877.

Buddhism:

In April 2005,  the Venerable Bhikkhu Buddharakkhita who is a Ugandan by nationality and the first  Buddhist monk in Uganda introduced Buddhism in the country. Currently, there are eleven Ugandans who have already converted to Buddhism and  taken the 5 precepts. Besides, there are traditional Buddhists: seven Thais, one Burmese and forty-five Sri Lankans who live in Uganda. We are still establishing the first Buddhist Temple in Uganda. We hope that the Temple will serve the spiritual needs of the Buddhist communities in Uganda and other African countries.