Our Railways. Our History. – Uganda Railways

At Plantain, we transform stories into bespoke books.

For this project, we were commissioned by the Cross-Cultural Foundation of Uganda (CCFU) to help them capture the history of Uganda’s railways.

Its story begins in the UK, where colonial authorities decided they needed a more efficient means to extract Uganda’s resources, particularly cotton. And so, starting in 1895, an incredible line was built, snaking from the shores of Kenya into the rift valley, and then climbing into Uganda to cross the Nile.

The railway impacted the region economically, politically, and culturally, well into independence.

This book, title Our Railways. Our History., tells the story of its birth and growth, and includes terrific visual archives shared by custodians worldwide. It also includes recent oral histories celebrating the very unique people and skillsets that worked the rails.

CCFU’s objective was to craft a book that would raise awareness of this significant monument and of the country’s national heritage.

But the book was also developed to raise funds for Uganda’s first National Railway Museum.

The book’s design including its colours and stylistic devices is inspired by the story’s setting.