The Interval: From the Red Umbrella to the Gate
The journey of Thobi Pa Lwak began beneath a red umbrella on a gifted piece of land, with a plastic table, a laptop and a shared determination to build something rooted in the community. Today, its rising walls, gate and perimeter posts signal a community foundation slowly taking permanent shape.
Sarah Pacutho reflects on “the interval”: the demanding space between vision and completion, where construction may pause, but the work continues through bursaries for girls, books for the community library and plans for a community hall. It is a story of patience, collective sacrifice and the gradual building of an institution that belongs to the people. Read More:
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Reflections on Relationships, Trust, and Community
GROW¡ Module 2: Know Your People to Grow Your People
The GROW¡ Tailored Phase session, “Know Your People to Grow Your People,” held under the Community Foundations Incubation Program, invited community foundation leaders to reflect on the relationships, trust, and people-centered practices that sustain strong institutions and rooted communities. Facilitated by Chris Nsubuga, the session explored how leaders can better understand their teams, strengthen internal culture, build trust, and nurture meaningful relationships with the communities they serve. Through practical tools, honest reflection, and shared learning, participants were reminded that sustainable impact begins with knowing people well, listening intentionally, and creating spaces where teams and communities feel seen, valued, and connected to the work.
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Cohort Participants
Leaders at the forefront of reimagining how communities resource their own development. They include emerging and established community foundations, grassroots collectives, and locally rooted organisations mobilising time, talent, and treasure for the common good, advancing education, health, women’s rights, youth livelihoods, climate justice, and civic participation. Together, they are building a growing ecosystem of community philanthropy in Uganda, accountable to and powered by the communities they serve. To date, the programme has supported 18 community foundations.
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