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My father is my hero
Goal. Lilly Ajarova. As a conservationist, Ajarova envisages a future with a substantive impact to mitigate environmental disasters that are likely to emerge due to abuse of natural resources . COURTESY PHOTO
What you need to know:
Lilly Ajarova says her father inspired her to be a wild live conservationist and much more, writes Eric Ntalumbwa
Taking a child for a motorcycle ride is a memorable experience for a young one, but for Lilly Ajarova, it was just more than that-a life changing experience. It was in the early 80s.
The tiny Ajarova, would sit at the back of a Yamaha motorbike, hold onto her dad’s waist and wobble through the village with a helmet sizes too large bouncing on her head either to accompany him to Angal Hospital in Nebbi District or give him company as he carried out community medical outreaches once a week.
Father’s Influence
“My star is my dad. He was very keen on reaching out, rather than stay in the hospital,” says Ajarova with a nervous laughter.
The Executive Director of Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary says she has fond childhood memories of game drives and hike to the top of the Murchison Falls since they stayed in Nebbi District.
She hoped to become a medical doctor like her father or a nurse like her mum and better lives of many, a dream she missed out on, and ended up in a related perfect career.
In 1991, she pursued a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Social Sciences at Makerere University with a major in Psychology which enabled her kick-start community outreaches and rejuvenate the chimpanzee rehabilitation programme at Ngamba Island Sanctuary.
“Our education programme as Ngamba called Change My Community empowers, prepares people , with values and skills to become Change Agents and live sustainably with their environment,” she explains and echoes it as a childhood inspiration drawn from the family reach outs during Easter weekends and Christmas.
Ajarova is grateful to her dad for the upbringing and the education he introduced her to.
In her world, he is the proverbial ‘father who is more than a hundred school masters’. He made it possible for her to afford education at Angal Girls Primary School in Nyaravur Sub-county, and Warr Girls Secondary School in Nebbi.
“Beside family background, these schools taught me all about respect, dignity and integrity,” she reveals with an indebted face.
Lessons
Ajarova credits her father for teaching her the value of natural resources, diversity and the limitations. The childhood visits to the Protected Areas has had a significant impact on her.
“He took us to national parks like Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls which enabled me and my siblings realise that what is around home is not what the world has,” she says.
Besides conservation, her dad taught her to value each and every opportunity, experience and whatever life throws at her.
Amidst the challenges of raising a family in the 21st century, the mother of three has learnt to uphold family above anything else. “My dad to-date reminds me to invest enough time for my family, because there is nothing like family and the aspect of values in the family is very important,” says Lilly with a beaming smile.
Rekindling the memories in adulthood
In 2014, the master and apprentice drove up the Alps in Italy.
“Although we did not climb, because of his frail condition, the atmosphere was very special like dad and daughter,” she reveals. A year later, he visited Ngamba Island to witness the efforts of his daughter and later spent quality time with his grandchildren.
As a result of his background as a medical doctor, he got interested in the health standards of the neighbouring community and the hospital in Myende.
True to his lifelong character, he made a donation towards the health unit of the Lake Victoria-based community.
“He sent us 2000 Euros which was used in the purchase of hospital beds, and medical supplies,” she discloses.
Lilly is still excited about the fun moments with her dad. She is quick to note that they still go for nature and forest walks, hikes, bird watching, and play board games together. “By the way, he loves swimming and I love swimming too,” she says, which is perhaps a reason why Ajarova keeps in good shape.
Hope for future
As a conservationist, Ajarova envisages a future with a substantive impact to mitigate environmental disasters that are likely to emerge due to abuse of natural resources such as climatic change, floods, and drought. “ We need to be creative to make people understand the importance of conservation, because all people think about is food, cars, housing because it is their immediate priority, but what about the future?” she remarks.
Fact file
Previously Ajarova worked as a tourism product manager at Uganda Wildlife Authority(UWA) where she spearheaded the development and marketing of tourism products in the national parks of Uganda.
Since 2012, the Rotarian has been sustainably involved with the Women In Conservation Leadership Training Programme as a mentor. She ensures that female wardens, rangers, and Safari guides understand natural resource management and conservation.
Ajarova is the recipient of the prestigious National Golden Jubilee Award 2015, Tourism Excellence Award 2017 and Wildlife Conservation Award 2017
Last year, she was selected among Africa’s top travel 100 women as a leader, pioneer and innovator.
