Compared to a giant armored turtle because the tin roofs are so close together, Migingo Island is considered one of the most populated outcrops in the world.
The stone-covered island, which is just half the size of a football field at 0.49 acres, is located on the northeast side of Lake Victoria and sits on the border between Uganda and Kenya.
In an attempt to discover what this busy island is like, a Dubai-based filmmaker Joe Hattab He made the dangerous journey there and spent a night with the locals.
In a short film about his stay in Migingo, Hattab explains that more than 1,000 people live there and “it is very small.”
Compared to a giant armored turtle because the tin roofs are so close together, Migingo Island is considered one of the most populated outcrops in the world.
The stone-covered island, which is just half the size of a football field (0.49 acres), is located on the northeast side of Lake Victoria and sits on the border between Uganda and Kenya.
In an attempt to discover what this busy island is like, Dubai-based filmmaker Joe Hattab traveled there and spent a night with the locals.
In a short film about his stay there, Hattab explains that more than 1,000 people live there and “it’s very small.”
One of the filmmaker’s ports of call in Migingo are the fishing docks, where he sees fishermen in action.
To get to Migingo, Hattab took a flight to Nairobi in Kenya. From there, he traveled by car for about six hours to a small town called Kisumu, located on the shores of Lake Victoria. On the last leg of the journey, Hattab boarded a boat to Migingo.
To get to Migingo, Hattab had to start by taking a flight to Nairobi, Kenya.
From there, he traveled by car for about six hours to a small town called Kisumu, located on the shores of Lake Victoria.
On the final leg of the trek, Hattab boarded a local speedboat to Migingo, and the bumpy ride took about two hours.
He said the island “looked like a mirage” as he approached and he wasn’t sure if the boat would “hold on” because of the “huge waves.”
When he finally reaches Migingo in the dark, Hattab has to visit security guards on a neighboring island and pay a $250 access fee. This measure has been implemented due to piracy in the area.
After obtaining the necessary permission, the filmmaker ventures around the busy island at night and describes a party atmosphere with music, people playing pool and the smell of fried food perfuming the air.
While Migingo has been a bone of contention between Kenya and Uganda for decades because the surrounding waters are rich in Nile perch, Hattab sees no friction on the island with both nationalities “passing together”.
In a small supermarket where alcohol and soft drinks are sold, he finds the seller playing music and using a makeshift DJ platform.
In a small supermarket where alcohol and soft drinks are sold, he finds the seller playing music and using a makeshift DJ platform.
As it gets late, Hattab follows his guide to a fisherman’s house, where he is given a bed for the night. He reveals that the tin shack hangs over the ocean and the sound of the water splashing is very loud.
In another scene, Hattab explains that everyone seems to be cooking together in the alleys.
A woman tells the camera crew that she is eating fish and chips, and that this is a staple food in Migingo.
As it gets late, Hattab follows his guide to a fisherman’s house, where he is given a bed for the night.
He reveals that the tin shack is suspended over the ocean and the sound of the splashing water is very loud.
In the morning, the YouTube content creator goes to bathe on the shore and discovers that one side is used for bathing by men and the other by women.
After washing up, Hattab has to go to the local police station with his guides and file a report after his boat went missing overnight.
The filmmaker’s last port of call in Migingo is the fishing docks, where he sees fishermen in action.
He explains that many people come to the island in search of Nile perch, which “is exported for millions of dollars.”
The filmmaker explains that many people come to this busy island in search of Nile perch, which are “exported for millions of dollars.”
Migingo has become an increasingly popular place to fish due to its remote location, with the population increasing from around 130 in 2009 to more than 1,000 today.
Hattab notes that the price of Nile perch has “increased by 50 percent in recent years and is estimated at $300 per kilogram in international markets.”
While there is no information about what happened to Hattab’s boat, he manages to get a lift from Migingo and thanks the locals for his time there.
Lake Victoria is Africa’s largest, and the loss of once-abundant fish has increased risks for millions of people living along its shores in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
According to the conservation group WWF, up to 80 percent of native fish species have been lost in the last four decades.
Because of this, Migingo has become an increasingly popular place to fish due to its remote location, and the population has increased from around 130 residents in 2009 to over 1,000 today.
Hattab notes that the price of Nile perch has also “increased by 50 percent in recent years and is estimated at $300 per kilogram in international markets.”
While there is no information about what happened to Hattab’s boat, he manages to get a lift from Migingo and thanks the locals for his time there.