An image is value $3,000: NEMA backs images drive to fight Uganda’s local weather disaster

In a bid to confront Uganda’s escalating environmental crises, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has thrown its weight behind a brand new private-sector initiative that makes use of the ability of images to demand local weather motion and drive coverage reform.
Speaking on the official launch of the Safal Eye within the Wild Photography Competition 2026 in Kampala on June 2, Mr. Wilbert Ikilai, NEMA’s Assistant Commissioner for Environmental Education and Advocacy, emphasised that visible storytelling is a important device for triggering authorities accountability.

“If you take a picture of floods in Kampala, policymakers will be asking questions like, ‘What should we do about the floods?'” Mr. Ikilai acknowledged. “One picture is worth a thousand words. If a picture is shared with the people out there, it will create awareness. When people are aware of what is happening, decisions can be made and responses can be sought from the concerned authorities.”

The 2026 competitors is spearheaded by Uganda Baati Limited via its philanthropic arm, the Safal Uganda Baati Foundation. The initiative leverages images to advance environmental conservation and schooling throughout East and Southern Africa, encouraging each skilled and beginner shutterbugs to seize the advanced relationship between nature, native communities, and sustainable growth.

Mr Ikilai famous that NEMA—established in 1995 because the principal company for environmental administration and coverage enforcement in Uganda—absolutely helps the marketing campaign as a result of it aligns straight with the authority’s core mandate.
The high-profile launch attracted key stakeholders from throughout the financial spectrum, together with representatives from the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) and the Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA), signaling a unified entrance between company leaders and environmental regulators.

Ms Jackie Tahakanizibwa, Head of External and Corporate Affairs at Uganda Baati, underscored the transformative nature of the marketing campaign, noting that the initiative bridges the hole between creative expression and environmental survival.
“At Uganda Baati, we believe that great photography does more than capture images; it captures stories, inspires action, and deepens our connection to the world around us,” Ms. Tahakanizibwa mentioned. “Through this competition, every image has the power to spark awareness and inspire us to protect our natural heritage.”

The competitors options vital monetary incentives, with winners poised to stroll away with money prizes starting from $500 to $3,000. Beyond the prize cash, each submission actively funds regional schooling initiatives, together with constructing lecture rooms and offering scholarships.
The urgency of the images marketing campaign is underscored by the grim findings of the State of the Environment Report 2024. The report highlights that Uganda is at present battling a extreme cocktail of ecological threats that jeopardize each its wealthy biodiversity and human livelihoods.

The competitors is open to skilled, beginner, and youth photographers utilizing both skilled rigs or cell units. Submissions have to be uploaded through the official marketing campaign platform earlier than the June 20, 2026 deadline, the place an skilled panel will decide them on creativity, originality, and ecological affect.