Reflection

Reflection

I’ve grown up hearing stories about Mabira Forest. My grandmother used to tell me how the forest breathed with life, monkeys swinging in the trees, rare birds singing early in the morning, and fresh cool air that felt like a blessing on hot days. She said that when she was younger, Mabira was a magical place where people found peace, food, and shade. But now, whenever we drive past it on the way to Jinja, I feel a deep sadness in my chest. The trees don’t seem as full anymore. There are empty patches where green used to be. I see trucks loaded with logs and sometimes even small fires with smoke rising through the trees. It’s like the forest is slowly being erased. One time, we stopped nearby, and I walked to the edge. There was trash, plastic bottles and wrappers, and broken branches scattered around. It didn’t feel magical. It felt forgotten. I created my digital artwork to show how that forest, once full of life, is being destroyed bit by bit. Not just by big machines or people cutting trees, but by all of us when we don’t care enough to protect it. And it’s not just trees we’re losing, it's homes for animals, medicine from plants, clean air, and the stories my grandmother told me.