By Irene Best Nyapendi
Growing up in a small community in central Uganda, Uganda Christian University (UCU) student, Emmanuel Golyo, had a simple childhood but with a rich connection. For instance, fetching water from the borehole or welcoming visitors to his home wasn’t just a chore; it was a way of life. 

And that practice followed him as he grew older. The 25-year-old narrates that while in secondary school at Hope High School in Mpigi, central Uganda, he loved interacting with international volunteers who came to the country to work on community-based projects. He enjoyed sharing the rich Ugandan culture with them and was proud to see how intrigued they were by it.

“I noticed that they were fascinated by things we take for granted, for instance, the close-to-12-hours of sunlight we have or seeing cows walking around in the compound,” he said. “To us, it’s normal, but to them, it’s extraordinary.” 

That realization created more thoughts in the mind of Golyo: What if he shared the tourist attractions in Uganda and all of East Africa with the world?

In 2017, as a volunteer guide for a tour firm, he moved with a man and woman, showing them tourism destinations in Uganda as well as people’s ways of life

“They asked me how much I was being paid,” Golyo said. “When I told them I was doing it for free because it was my passion, they were shocked.” 

The couple suggested that he start his own company – an idea that had not before crossed his mind. Two years later, that same couple began recommending clients directly to Golyo, bypassing the agency. 

Word spread, and soon, Golyo was guiding tourists himself, offering something other companies didn’t: authentic, hands-on experience. 

That spirit of hospitality ingrained in Golyo from a young age has now become the heartbeat of his business – Golyo Safaris – a tour agency he said offers him an opportunity to blend his love for travel, culture, and community with tourism business. All this he does while he is pursuing a degree in Food Science and Technology at UCU.

“Most companies take people to the big parks, and that’s it,” he explains. “At Golyo Safaris, we also take you to homesteads. You dig with us, cook with us, live like we do. That’s what makes it different.”

Golyo posts photos of trips with his clients on his personal social media account. The people he took on these trips tag him, and their friends began reaching out for the same experience. However, he realized that many preferred to tour with a well-registered company. So, in 2020, he registered Golyo Safaris.

Initially, the focus was solely on destinations in Uganda. However, as their social media and website gained traction, people began asking for recommendations in Rwanda. He took the time to study the Rwanda market and started recommending clients to his tourism colleagues there, on the condition that he could join them for free.

This approach allowed him to learn more about the market, and he did the same for Kenya and Tanzania. Now, they offer services within East Africa.

Balancing university studies with a growing business isn’t easy, but Golyo makes it look effortless. 

“At school, I’m all in,” he says. “At night and weekends, I handle pickups and guide tours. If I can’t, I delegate.” 

He partners with Tips Car Hire, a transport firm which provides him with professional drivers and over 10 branded vans for his tours. 

“One day, we hope we’ll have our own vans,” he says. 

For Golyo, his tour firm is more than a business, it’s a mission to reshape how the world sees Africa. 

“When you search for Africa online, many times you read negative stories such as insecurity or poverty,” he says. “At our firm, we show people the real Africa: the game parks, the fresh waters, the birds, the moonlit skies.” 

Occasionally, he takes his clients to experience the beauty of UCU, and their positive comments about the campus fill him with pride. 

Golyo’s impact goes beyond profit. His earnings cover his tuition, support friends’ education, with the biggest part being invested into the company’s growth. As a Christian, he also shares his faith with clients, inviting them to local churches. 

He says the firm’s business peaks during summer, where he handles sometimes up to five clients per week, a remarkable feat for a student-run startup. 

With his final year at UCU approaching, he’s determined to excel in both academics and business, proving that passion can turn dreams into reality.

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