On 29 September 2026, Dr. Nelson Tugume, founder of Inspire Africa, welcomed H.E. Mikael “Mika” Cleverley, the U.S. Ambassador to Uganda, to Africa Coffee Park.
For Nelson the visit was personal. In 2015 the U.S. Government invested US$50,000 in Inspire Africa’s youth projects, which at the time was seed capital. “To me, it was something much bigger: someone believing in a dream.” Ten years later, the Ambassador came to see what that seed has become.
His account of the day sets out what he wants the park to stand for. It is not only about coffee. It is about changing the story of Ugandan coffee, from exporting raw beans to building coffee brands.
He also pointed to the market that story is aimed at. The United States, he noted, is one of the world’s largest coffee markets, with 450 million cups drunk every day, and in his words the opportunity “will create jobs, industries and opportunities for our farmers”.
The photographs from the day show a walk through the packaging hall in the plant and across the grounds, and a meeting in the park’s own meeting room.
