The Ruwenzori Foundation/Rwenzori Founders Rewilding project
Post
Published 08. Jun 2025 by FilmsForChange in
Rwenzori Founders main site
Our Community Efforts on Film.

Director Zuleika Kingdon and Producer Jacqui Doughty from Films for Change, Uk started filming our Rwenzori Founders forest restoration story in July 2022 and wanted to make sure the community were fully represented. How have we restored the hills, what were the challenges locally, the cultural influences and motivations for us all? Amazingly, they also raised enough funds for us to plant and care for 1200 trees, which we shared among any villagers keen to protect new trees on their own land. This was very well received by the community.
The team arrived during one of our toughest droughts and the rains were late, so they also followed our work securing water, and creating awareness about climate issues in surrounding villages. Zuleika returned again in April 2023 for the wet season and more wildlife filming. It has been a long wait while they fundraised to finish the film, but we have now been sent the latest trailers summarising the story.
The full documentary is edited into 3 one hour episodes:
1 -The Challenges of Change
2 - Restoring the Rains
3 - Bringing back biodiversity

Culture and Community Trailer here: https://vimeo.com/1076402939/1a0e5f6b1a

Message from Zuleika:
"We are so grateful to all our participants. It was an incredibly fulfilling experience working in Kemihoko village, whether it was learning about wildlife in the different habitats, gathering stories from elders, observing children in workshops, witnessing how Isaac's wax model is poured and transformed, or following people into their homes. Everyone was so welcoming and keen to give us their perspectives on nature protection and how the changes being demonstrated by the Rwenzori Founders re-wilding project have affected or inspired them.
Successful return of the wildlife is beautifully evidenced in the film and on camera traps. It is always so poignant when local poachers reform and tell their stories. Members of the Uganda Wildlife Authority conservation unit also featured in support of the founders reforestation efforts. Of course the desire for rain for all, is an important theme and we were privileged to participate in a traditional rainmaking ceremony, fewer and fewer experts still practise this openly.
Our film is a hugely positive example of how and why people take action to protect their farms, wildlife and natural resources. Bringing back the rains so as to restore precious mountain snows was a goal shared by all. I came away believing it really is possible to stop further deforestation by communally planting back the trees. Kemihoko villagers now understand all the benefits and in the tropics planting the right trees clearly transforms landscapes very very quickly. This in turn prevents the devastating landslides and floods that have been so prevalent.
We hope a community screening programme next year will further engage other local audiences when we return with the final film. I'd be happy to hear from any organisations wishing to partner with us to workshop similar aims at a screening. Jacqui and I now continue to seek distributers so as to reach an even wider global audience. In the meantime, we are delighted to announce the film has been submitted to festivals across the world. It has already won 3 Awards, 1 nomination and several official selections so far. I am particularly proud of our best music score award which was achieved by our Ugandan composer, Andrew Ahuurra. We await news of more and are working on our impact plan. We haven't given up yet team, and so will be back!
Huge thanks to all, Warm wishes Zuleika."