Giving Stories Blog

People generally aren't used to kindness from strangers. Most of us are too wrapped up in our lives to pay much attention to anyone else. That's why it's so striking when strangers do something unexpected. Even the smallest actions can have an impact. With some people, though, the well of generosity runs deep. They do incredible things to improve other lives, going the extra mile in unexpected ways.

Stanbic Bank Uganda in partnership with other well-wishers donated medical mama kits worth Ugx. 35,500,000/= (Thirty-five million five hundred thousand Uganda Shillings) to Kawempe Referral Hospital. This generous gesture was done as part of Stanbic’s end-of-year Corporate Social Investment Programme and as a contribution to the ongoing “Every Mother Counts” campaign.

KANSAI Plascon donates paint to Sanyu Babies’ Home

Perhaps the greatest tragedy of all is that we know how to convert tragedy into triumph...we simply need more assistance achieving it! We know how to transform bad numbers into good ones. And while assisting children is a wonderful thing to do, the good you have done does not end there. It spreads!

Companies are exploring effective strategies to help the areas, sectors, or communities most impacted by their operations. Many firms have embraced the notion of corporate philanthropy, a giving model that may be applied in a variety of ways ranging from scholarship programs to volunteer assistance to community service.

Anyone can give! By anyone, we mean individuals, groups, children and even, companies. In the next few weeks, we explore stories of corporate generosity. The forms of giving vary from company to company reinforcing the fact that money is not the only means through which generosity is expressed. Generosity allows you to be creative; give your time, talent, treasure, your space, your expertise, you name it.

Giving to other givers encourages them to continue doing good in their communities. It solidifies their charitable actions and motivates generosity in ways we may not be able to measure. Have you considered giving to the local charity or community foundation? This was done for Kawempe Home Care by Relentless Group.

For young people, agriculture is one of the most important routes out of poverty and unemployment. Accelerating youth participation in agriculture and agribusiness will also aid in achieving development goals such as eradicating extreme poverty, achieving zero hunger, and achieving gender equality, as set forth by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, development in many regions is significantly slower than is required to involve youngsters in agriculture in the face of climate change.

For Airtel Uganda, business, and heart, go together. As the telecom company commissioned three masts in the Rwenzori region, they considered the damage caused by recent floods. Kasese District has been on the receiving end of seasonal floods that have brought life and livelihoods to a standstill. One of the affected aspects of life in the region has been the diminished access to health centres and services due to blocked roads and the destruction of some facilities. Airtel Uganda sought out expectant mothers due to the increased risk of maternal death in light of the peril caused by the floods.

Very happy update! 3 weeks ago I posted here about our 13 year old friend Sunday David, who was in urgent need of a new wheelchair - as his had reached its end. The response was amazing. Within a few hours we had surpassed the needed amount... and people kept on giving! Read more

Giving takes various forms, and mentorship is one of them. It is the gift that keeps on giving! Mentorship has its foundation in the fact that we all have something to teach and something to learn. It is a way of repurposing our time and experiences, helping others to grow. The Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Association Limited (UWEAL) has done this for Ugandan women in business.

Soul Foundation Uganda and MTN Uganda joined hands to enable Butabika national referral mental hospital get new lavatories for their patients and the staff.

The development coincided with global commemoration of the World Mental health day which was celebrated on the 10th of October 2021. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this year’s theme was “Mental health care for all: let’s make it a reality”. The subject of mental health received more activism than the previous years before the global pandemic.

A timely intervention: with the closure of schools beyond the lockdown and the expense of online learning, access to education stands to be compromised. Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) in partnership with Books for Development partnership will see the establishment of 50 mobile libraries for school children living on the islands of Lake Victoria.

It started off with a campaign dubbed “Send us to Mayuge.” The aim was to provide food to families that had been hit hard from the COVID-19 induced lockdown. The Odur Foundation is a Community Foundation operating in Mayuge District whose mission is to promote and advance practical community initiatives to alleviate poverty and improve the quality of life of people in the communities they serve.

Philanthropy is nimble, responsive, and engaged in perceiving a need and addressing it. The generous contributions of the Lions Clubs of Uganda to the health sector demonstrates how fast philanthropy is in recognizing and responding to the needs in the health sector.

Finally. Today (Sunday 12th) at 7am, a Uganda Airlines plane flight No UR202 left Entebbe enroute Nairobi, onboard, someone special- a 74-year-old man called Wilson Dhabangi. This is why you should know about him.

In 1996, I lost my father. As such, my mother had to work double to sustain us. Sometimes she spent weeks away from home. To be sure that I was getting a good education, she decided to take me to Namalemba Boarding Primary school- then a very powerful school along Tirinyi-Mbale road in Eastern Uganda. Unfortunately, many times, she never had the opportunity to come visit me.

Girls to Lead Africa (GTLA) is a leadership incubator that nurtures and mentors’ girls to take up leadership positions in student councils. During the past 42-day lockdown, they did more than just mentor girls, for leadership.

GTLA donated COVID19 relief food to families and gave masks and sanitisers to the Kanungu women that were sleeping in Kihihi Daily Market during the lockdown.

Inspired by the financial struggle that his grandfather faced while educating his father, Dr. Busingye Kabumba an alumnus and now, lecturer at the Makerere School of Law, birthed the idea to start the Makerere Law Scholarship Fund. Access to education at the School of Law had since turned into a luxury that was accessible by the people who had a stable source of good income. The pandemic and its ripple effect of economic hardships has not made things any better.

Today we share another story of generosity, driven by the power of social media through big, bold and brave giving.

A video story that was reported by BBS Tv, about the plight of household knitted together by a teenager, looking after her siblings after both parents had abandoned them, went viral on a social platform WhatsApp. In a particular WhatsApp group, A Law Development Center (LDC) lecturer, identified as Mulalira Faisal was touched and moved to tears, after viewing the clip of the teenager, struggling to shelter, and feed her siblings in the Central region of Nakaseke District. Read more

“In crisis, portends opportunity”, tells a Chinese saying. Indeed, in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic that continues to cripple the world, philanthropic actions by individuals and organizations are vivid, with several stories of giving being reported and shared in several discussions.

There has been a rise in giving and generosity support the public sector, increased local giving which has birthed homegrown solutions surge to solve emerging local challenges. The effectiveness of giving has soared with institutions and individuals teaming up with partners to respond to the current health crisis.

“What should I give towards?” You ask. Some givers have charted a new course by funding innovative, even edgy causes and ideas. Others have chosen to fill existing gaps in the public sector, a move so noble. This kind of giving has played a complementary role to government’s effort in providing healthcare for all Ugandans.

Rotary clubs in Uganda have made a mark in the health sector by their concerted and consistent donations and drives. We share a story of the Rotary Club of Muyenga which is partnering with the Katalemwa Cheshire Home to manufacture wheelchairs, shoes, and orthopedic assistive devices for children with disabilities.