Help Derrick Ssenyonyi Rebuild His Dream of Storytelling

Over the years, Derrick Ssenyonyi has grown to be one of the most impactful content creators in Uganda. Derrick not only played a big role in showing his country to the world through breath-taking footage, also used his camera to make a difference, documenting sports events for rural children and bringing untold stories to life. To many people, it seemed like Derrick had achieved this success through a privileged background, but this is not true at all.

I met Derrick in April 2024. His character immediately made a lasting impression on me. He is kind, charismatic, and always wears a smile. I had the privilege of working alongside him, capturing videos and photos. We stayed in contact when I had to go back to the Netherlands. Not many months later, I returned to Uganda, spent more time with Derrick, and quickly developed a close friendship.

Derrick’s journey is one of perseverance and passion. At just 14 years old, he realized his parents couldn’t provide for him and his younger siblings. Determined to help his family, he had to go into various jobs, from construction and farming to selling shoes, clothes, and food in markets. While hustling at these jobs, he discovered a deep love for photography and storytelling. This passion didn’t just give him hope, it became his lifeline. He used his earnings to support himself through school, where he studied tourism management, and turned his love for content creation into a career. His mission became clear: to show young people from humble beginnings that dreams are attainable, and to say “yes” to every opportunity that came his way.

His journey has inspired me greatly. Derrick never chose the easy option; instead, he has worked all his life to follow his dreams. But he is not only a dreamer, he is also the hardest-working man I have ever met. Derrick’s hard work paid off, he traveled across Uganda, capturing beautiful visuals for local and international clients. His dedication and talent earned him a reputation as one of Uganda’s most talented storytellers and travel photographers.

To celebrate years of hard work, Derrick organized Uganda’s first-ever photo exhibition, Timeless Frames. A day that was meant to be a celebration turned out to be a devastating setback in Derrick’s journey. His entire set of equipment was stolen. Everything he had worked for vanished before his eyes, including his camera bodies, lenses, laptop, drone, and hard drives, which contained most of his work.

He didn’t just lose his equipment that day, his clients, his smile, and worst of all, his dreams.

Let’s not let his story end here. I want Derrick’s story to be one of dreams, resilience, and positivity. It took a lot of convincing from me to get Derrick to come out and share his story and allow others to help him rebuild. It has been almost three months since these devastating events, which is also the last time he went out to work. In Africa, it is not common or widely accepted for people to ask for help, which leaves many silently battling hardships and struggles. I hope his journey inspires others facing challenges to reach out and keep pushing forward.

I ask you to support Derrick in any way you can! Whether by donating, sharing his story, or sending a message of support. Together, we can help him rise again and continue inspiring others through his incredible work.

Sincerely,

Yannick Wolffensperger

From Derrick

Hi everyone,

Thank you so much for your incredible support. I wanted to take a moment to share how your contributions will help me rebuild and move forward:

Where Your Donations Will Go:

• A fresh start: Since September 2024, I have been unable to take on any field paying work. Your donations will help me cover immediate necessities and create a foundation to start over.

• Emotional recovery: For the first time in my life, I’ve accepted that I need counselling and therapy. Losing everything has been an overwhelming experience, and for years, I’ve avoided addressing my feelings. Living alone has amplified my struggles, and in recent months, my emotions became so uncontrollable that I felt truly scared. Starting in February 2025, I will begin therapy to heal and rebuild my mental health.

• Rebuilding my career: While the stolen content on the hard drives is irreplaceable, I plan to purchase the lost equipment to help me start creating again. Content creation is not just my career but my passion, and with your support, I can continue to tell meaningful stories from our communities and work toward self-sufficiency.

No donation is too small - every contribution makes a difference. If you’re unable to donate, please consider sharing this fundraiser with your network.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for standing by me during this incredibly challenging time. Your kindness, generosity, and belief in my journey mean more to me

than words can express.

Together, we are proving that even in our darkest moments, hope and compassion can light the way forward.

With gratitude,

Derrick.