Business + Intellectual Property Attorneys
As South Africa’s academic year settles into motion, a familiar reality returns: students who meet entry requirements still struggle to register, secure housing, or continue their studies because of financial pressure, historic debt, and uneven institutional support. These annual waves of protest and disruption point to a deeper truth, higher education access remains shaped by long-standing structural inequality.
From a youth and civic lens, this piece explores why barriers persist, how they intersect with unemployment and social mobility, and where philanthropy can play a catalytic role. It reflects on what works, what falls short, and what it will take to build stronger, youth-informed alliances that expand opportunity and dignity across the sector.
Image Credit: University of Fort Hare, a historical institution in of African history and education in South Africa
Over five years in the Financial Resilience Hub, we moved from “knowing little about financial resilience” to building practical support for civil society across East Africa, alongside partners like KCDF and the Foundation for Civil Society. We strengthened this work through financial fitness boot camps, pairing partners with financial coaches, and creating honest money conversations through “Let’s Talk Ssente.”
Read more: Read the full reflections from our CEO, Jacqueline Asiimwe, on how this journey strengthened and shaped our approach to resilience.
ARE YOU A GIRL LED OR YOUNG FEMINIST LED GROUP IN UGANDA, KENYA, OR TANZANIA?
The East African Girls and Young Feminist Fund 2026–2027 Call for Applications is open to support community responsive ideas toward feminist futures and grassroots movement building. Grants are unrestricted, and may be multi year depending on funding availability.
For more information CLICK HERE:
DEADLINE: Apply by 28 February 2026, 11:59 PM East African Time.
HOW TO APPLY
Visit https://CIVFUND.smartsimple.com, select “The East African Girls and Young Feminist Fund 2026–2027 Call”, and follow the prompts.
Alternative: download the form and email it to info@civsourcea.com. Submit only one application.
Applications are now open for projects to be implemented in the 2026–2027 cycle. Apply from 23 Jan–28 Feb 2026 (deadline: 28 Feb 2026). Grants are available up to UGX 20,000,000 for partners in Uganda, and under USD 5,000 for partners outside Uganda. No application fee. Apply online via the CIVFUND SmartSimple portal and submit 3–10 images or short video clips as part of your portfolio.
CivSource Africa is commissioning a comprehensive national mapping of alternative funding models used by Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Uganda under the Autonomous Resourcing of Civil Society Community of Practice (ARC-CoP). The study will identify and classify existing resourcing models, analyse how they work and who is using them, assess sustainability and risks, and document 8–12 case studies of promising approaches. Findings will inform model selection for testing under ARC-CoP, stakeholder engagement, partner selection criteria, and practical recommendations for strengthening CSO financial autonomy.
The assignment will use mixed methods (desk review, surveys, interviews, focus groups, financial analysis, and a validation workshop) and will run for 10–12 weeks. Interested consultants/teams should submit technical and financial proposals to info@civsourcea.com by January 26, 2026.
