Specific Information Service
HYDERABAD: From working at a ‘fancy retailer’ in a village close to Tenali (Andhra Pradesh) for `20 a day to amassing a follower rely of three,81,000 on his journey vlog ‘Uma Telugu Traveller’, Uma Prasad Malempati resides his dream. It didn’t come straightforward, however Uma speaks of his struggles with an admirable nonchalance and frankness. No marvel, his followers can’t cease gushing about his joie de vivre that may be felt even by means of a display screen. This journey vlogger, who studied formally until class eight and was then pressured to take up odd jobs to make a residing, is known for documenting his travels throughout Africa. He has been to international locations like Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Zambia, and his dream is to cowl all of the 195 international locations on the earth.
The adventures
Uma has frolicked with indigenous tribes in Africa and his movies are serving to to interrupt down a number of myths about these areas. Recalling his stick with the Hadzabe tribe in Tanzania, which he documented in a eight-part sequence, Uma says: “They nonetheless comply with the previous methods of residing. They hunt animals with bows and arrows and sleep in bushes. Amongst different animals, they eat pythons and imagine that making use of the snake’s fats below the nostril can deal with certainly one of bronchial asthma.
In addition they make three markings below every eye with a particular twig to treatment imaginative and prescient issues. They’re very pleasant and I learnt rather a lot from them.” In his movies concerning the Samakay tribe who dwell with out electrical energy and different fashionable facilities, he offers a glimpse of their villages, homes, meals and lifestyle. He has additionally been to animal sanctuaries and safaries, and has shared his adventures with mountain gorillas and cheetahs. Considered one of his most memorable journeys, he shares, was to the village of Umoja Uaso in Kenya the place no males are allowed to dwell. The village began as a sanctuary for survivors of sexual violence, and so they absorb any girl who’s oppressed by patriarchy.
It has not even been an 12 months since Uma began his vlog. He roamed round Africa within the pandemic 12 months and has produced over 120 movies now. His first video was a few man named Moosa who grows Indian greens in Mali. With 15 movies, he had round 800 subscribers. And instantly, from June 1, the site visitors to his vlog elevated exponentially. “It was nothing in need of a miracle. My channel recorded 15,000 followers per day by means of every week. In reality, I obtained a mail from YouTube which stated that there was some uncommon site visitors to my channel,” Uma recollects with fun.
The wrestle
“Whereas I used to be rising up in Vijaywada, a monetary tragedy introduced us on the streets. I needed to drop out of faculty and relocate to my mom’s village close to Tenali. I did odd jobs that will fetch `20 per day. I labored in Andhra canteens, development companies and at cycle restore retailers. Nonetheless, I had this dream to see the world and expertise completely different cultures. It took me a while, however am completely satisfied that I arrived,” Uma says.
He was continually looking out to search out sources of earnings, and when a relative prompt that there was a job in a rustic known as Mali, Uma didn’t hesitate to take it up. He shifted to the nation in West Africa and began working in a water processing plant. However he by no means forgot his dream and stored looking for methods to understand it. When he expressed the identical to his boss, the latter fortunately lent him cash to purchase a smartphone. Uma learnt learn how to make YouTube movies with assist from the web and pals, and there was no wanting again.
Getting round
Uma takes a information with him all over the place and makes use of Couchsurfing to dwell with locals. He additionally retains in contact with Indians in these international locations. Throughout his keep in Mali, he picked up the native language, Bambara, and a little bit of French too. He learnt English from different travellers. Now, his followers be certain that he will get a heat welcome in any nation he visits. Was it troublesome for him to speak with folks from such numerous international locations? “No, under no circumstances.
We communicate completely different languages however a smile is known universally. If you wish to make pals with strangers, you simply have to smile and say hey. Folks listed below are sort and I’m honoured that they accepted me as their visitor. I need to inform them about India and the similarities we share,” provides the traveller, who’s all set to discover Ethiopia.