Pictures share a glimpse into what life is like in one of the most crowded communities in the world - the island of Migingo is the size of a football pitch and was once a booming fishing spot
An island the size of a football pitch is home to one of the most crowded communities on the planet.
The island of Migingo, which is nestled in the northeastern side of Lake Victoria on the border between Uganda and Kenya, is home to a mere 1,000 citizens. The island is one of the world's most densely populated places and is difficult to reach. Dubai-based filmmaker Joe Hattab recently embarked on a trip to the island so he could get a glimpse of what life is like there.
Although the island is tiny, it boasts a huge amount of history, and was the scene of what locals have dubbed Africa's "smallest war." Migingo has been at the centre of territorial disputes for decades, with it now being co-managed by both Uganda and Kenya.
The tiny island only has one hair salon and a few bars
Hattab said he witnessed Kenyans and Ugandans "hanging out together" on Migingo. It comes after a young fisherman previously told AFP that “sometimes there are tensions”, though generally people go about their business. Migingo became a major fishing hub after a handful of fishermen hoping to catch Nile perch, also known as mbuta, decided to try their luck on the island, Independent reports.
The loss of the once-booming sea life in Lake Victoria had been a major blow to communities living along its shores in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, prompting locals to look for more reliable sources of fish. Migingo was uninhabited at the time but gradually became known as a fertile fishing spot, and other fishermen came from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Somalia, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The island used to be uninhabited
Nile perch, which are plentiful in waters around Migingo, had previously only been popular locally. But they've since become a valuable commodity, appearing on menus at swanky British and French restaurants, and only heightening the draw of the island for fisherman. Hattab noted that the price of the fish had jumped by "50% in recent years and is estimated at $300 (£237) per kilogram in international markets", reports MailOnline.
A striking mosaic of corrugated iron homes now covers the island, rising and falling with the contours of the landscape. The islet is said to be home to four bars, a hair salon and a brothel. It also has its own police force, as well as a small clinic where a nurse treats minor issues, though for more serious medical problems, inhabitants have to travel to the Kenyan mainland.
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