Groups: Why We Have Them & How To Enjoy Them

We strive to serve you a vast variety of content on the Gorilla Highlands Experts platform, but sometimes you may want more of what especially touches you.

That’s why we have groups for our members!

Want to identify a bird you just saw? Ask your fellow Birders. The group leader is Charlotte who wrote in her self-description: “When colourful feathers catch my eye, they light up my day … but how am I qualified to guide you? I am a member of NatureUganda, Uganda’s best-known conservation organisation. … I’m an amateur enthusiast — with a network of bird guide and ornithologist friends.”

Interested in putting together a squad for a mountain bike adventure next year? Share your plans with Cyclists. A quote from the introduction by Olivier, a specialist mountain biking guide who leads the group: “I was born in Rwanda and raised and schooled in Uganda. … I decided to volunteer as a group leader in order to help people learn more about my two countries.”

Itching to share your walking adventure memories with those who get it? Serve them to Hikers for sure! Writes Jane, the leader: “I love rock climbing, hiking and trekking. I have climbed many rocks and scaled my share of hills and mountains in Uganda (like Mt. Kadam and Elgon) and the volcanoes … I never get enough of the sight of these mountains!”

Determined to eat from the very best kitchens during your stay in the region? Why not inquire with Foodies? Chef Rama, the Foodies leader, says: “We will not only talk about recipes and meals on the plate, but also about growing food. I want to as well focus on building a fair, transparent and sustainable food system.”

Are You Ready? We Are Getting Technical …

… And that only scratches the surface of what our groups can be! Their leaders will provide something new for you to enjoy weekly (at least), but the rest is up to you.

Using the example of the Builders group, let’s see what is possible:

Feed = This is where everything new appears … and then disappears from the sight as newer items pile up. Good for a quick share, a now-now question and other in-the-moment stuff.

Discussions = A more permanent “noticeboard” where topics are easier to keep an eye on, and respond to. There’s a powerful little shortcut on the right (or at the bottom if you are on a small screen) that allows you to go a list of discussions you might be specifically interested in. Once you are in a particular discussion you can reply to the main text (green Reply — see below), or respond to a specific comment (arrow next to the comment).

Sub-groups = If you long to see how the sausage is being made and in the spirit of pretty radical transparency, any member actually has access to the sub-group for Daily Dose Contributors. This means that you can read and comment on blog drafts. Not only that, you are encouraged to add your own blog ideas!

Documents = Let’s skip some other tabs and have a look at the section where you can upload anything of import. In our example, this is a background document meant especially for Builders.

… And those would probably be all the basics! Feel free to leave any questions in the comments.

We are winding up with a message from Katharina who is in charge of all our groups:

“Welcome to the GHE community! I fell in love with this region about 5 years ago when I was the very first Gorilla Highlands volunteer for four months. Originally from Austria, I am living and working in Mexico, but I am really looking forward to visiting the highlands again! In the meantime, supporting the groups is my next best thing, as I am passionate about bringing people together!”