Our workblog

In this powerful episode of LXL East Africa (League of Extraordinary Leaders), Jacqueline Asiimwe, CEO of CivSource Africa, joins host Muhereza Kyamutetera for a deeply personal conversation on leadership, identity, mental health, discipline, philanthropy, and growth. Drawing from her lived experience, Jacqueline reflects on the inner work of leadership, the courage it takes to lead with authenticity, and why the future of African giving must be shaped by African voices. This is a thoughtful and honest conversation for anyone seeking to lead with empathy, purpose, and conviction.

Watch the full conversation to hear Jacqueline’s reflections in her own words.

CivFund is seeking an experienced facilitator to support an online training on desk review research and the use of AI for corporate accountability in Uganda. The assignment will support partners under the Corporate Accountability Fund to strengthen their skills in systematic desk reviews, ethical AI use, and evidence-based advocacy through a practical, participatory online training scheduled for 14–15 April 2026. Interested applicants should submit an expression of interest, including technical and financial proposals, to info@civsourcea.com by 11 April 2026.

Read terms of Reference HERE:

What comes after success? In And Then What?, Francis Kamulegeya invites readers into a timely reflection on purpose, leadership, and legacy. With strong early praise from Apollo Makubuya, Jacqueline Asiimwe, Gloria Byamugisha, and Crystal Kabajwara, the book is already sparking meaningful conversations ahead of its 30 April 2026 launch. Read the full story to see why it is drawing attention well beyond the boardroom.

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We are looking for a Partnerships Development Officer to help grow and steward meaningful partnerships, strengthen ecosystem engagement, and support long-term sustainability across our work in Kenya.

The role is based in Nairobi and is offered on a one-year fixed contract with possibility of renewal. Interested candidates should send their application and CV of not more than 4 pages to info@civsourcea.com by 5pm, 15th April 2026.

Find out more information HERE:

#JobOpening #CivSourceKenya

In January, 36 participants from Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Rwanda, and Burundi came together in Arusha for an intensive human rights training hosted by MS-TCDC and facilitated by Equitas and Tusonge, beginning a journey that reshaped how they understand leadership, workplace culture, and community engagement. Through practical sessions, role plays, documentaries, and cultural exchange, the training showed that human rights are not abstract ideas but a vital framework for fair, respectful, and responsible action in everyday work and program implementation. From identifying discrimination and unsafe environments to strengthening inclusive leadership, ethical practice, and accountability, the experience equipped participants to become more thoughtful leaders and human rights defenders committed to building safer, more just, and people-centered communities.

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#HumanRightsInPractice.

As impact investing gains traction, Jacqueline Asiimwe reflects on a deeper question: has the shift in language been matched by a shift in power. In this essay, she argues that decolonizing development finance depends on governance that places local actors in real decision-making roles, makes fees, returns, failures, and decision criteria transparent, and creates access pathways for smaller, community-rooted organisations whose value sits in public goods like accountability, voice, and democratic space. She closes with an invitation to rebuild capital around dignity, agency, and shared power.

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CivSource Africa CEO Jacqueline Asiimwe joined the book launch of Dr Joyce Tamale (FCCA, CPA), celebrating a timely contribution to the social enterprise conversation: “A Guide to Building a Sustainable Social Enterprise: Follow Your Intuition.” Drawing from lived experience, the book reflects Joyce’s journey from leading Uganda Health Marketing Group toward sustainability and building her own social enterprise, Capital Solutions, grounded in the belief that purpose and profit can work together. A long-time partner and one of the financial coaches supporting CivFund’s Resilience Fund partners, Joyce continues to guide organisations as they turn purpose into enterprise and strengthen long-term sustainability.

In a related discussion, Dr. Joyce Tamale unpacks how NGOs and civil society organisations can thrive through social entrepreneurship, including defining social entrepreneurship through the “three P’s”: planet, people, and profit, and shifting from grant dependency toward sustainable revenue models. Watch the conversation here:

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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.

Read more: Higher Education and Philanthropy in South Africa: A Civic Lens on Unequal Access, Collective Responsibility, and Youth Futures

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.

A new blog by Soni Khanal explores what it could mean to reimagine development at a time when civil society faces shrinking civic space, funding constraints, and rising political pressures. Drawing on insights from Jacqueline Asiimwe, Fifi Boateng, and Robert White, the piece argues that development must move beyond money and formal frameworks and return to its roots, centering humanity, culture, and community leadership. It highlights how African giving has long been grounded in relationships, reciprocity, and everyday acts of care, and why solutions that ignore cultural context can unintentionally disrupt what communities value most.

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Thrive Afrika closed out 2025 with a powerful reflection of gratitude, highlighting a year shaped by collaboration, trust, and Afrikan-led solutions across social impact, storytelling, learning, and strategy. One standout moment was at the Afrotellers Conference 2025, where Jacqueline Asiimwe Mwesige (CEO, CivAfrica Galaxy) crafted and launched the #AfrotellersCreed, a shared commitment that is now guiding the movement’s approach to ethical storytelling and “storying Afrika.” It was a reminder that beyond the outputs and convenings, what truly endures are the values, relationships, and collective purpose that hold the work together. Read more

At CivSource Africa, our work is to document, honour, and amplify African giving, the everyday generosity that is active, organised, and rooted in community. Moments like the Butabika Cookout strengthen our resolve to keep lifting these stories up, ensuring they are not overlooked, but celebrated and used to reshape how philanthropy on our continent is understood.

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Day 2 of #AfroTellers2025 saw a powerful, unified reading of the Afrotellers Creed, our pledge to story Africa with integrity and imagination, honoring both scars and stars, places and possibilities. Penned by our CEO Jacqueline Asiimwe Mwesige, it reminds us: our stories are our roots, our voices our wings.

Read the full Afrotellers Creed →

#Afrotellers2025 #AfrotellersConference2025 #OurStoriesOurVoicesOurPower #AfrikaTakesBack

Happy 8th birthday to the CivSource Africa Galaxy!

Here’s to the team, partners, lessons, and generosity that have shaped our journey, and the future we’re building together. Dive into our CEO Jacqueline Asiimwe’s reflections on leading with heart and daring greatly, a gratitude-filled look at the people, the D.A.R.E. values, and the vision for a future where philanthropy works and civil society thrives.

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The World Giving Report 2025 – Uganda Edition, a collaborative effort between CivLegacy Foundation and the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), offers deep insights into the giving patterns, motivations, and perceptions of Ugandan citizens. This landmark report draws on a global survey of over 55,000 people in 101 countries, including nearly 1,000 in Uganda. It captures the essence of generosity as a lived practice in Ugandan society, shaped by cultural values, religious teachings, and a communal ethos that prioritizes care, compassion, and support.

To explore more insights from the report, visit: Uganda Giving Report 2024.

Our CEO, Jacqueline Asiimwe, recently reflected on a powerful day that brought the spirit of African generosity to life. During a board meeting at Conservation Through Public Health, she witnessed generosity not as theory, but as presence, people showing up with their time, wisdom, and unwavering commitment to service.

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#LocalGivingMatters #PhilanthropyIsUs #GenerosityInUganda #OmutimaOmugabi

At CivSource Africa, reflection is not an afterthought; it’s a leadership practice. Our quarterly retreats are a cherished rhythm, giving us space to step back, recalibrate, and ask the deeper questions: Are we living our values? Are we moving with intention?

Watch Highlights HERE:

#PauseToGrow #LeadingWithReflection #CivSourceCulture

At the TEDxEntebbe stage, our CEO Jacqueline Asiimwe delivered a powerful and deeply moving talk titled “Seeing with New Eyes.” With remarkable courage and clarity, she tackled the often-avoided subject of child sexual abuse, calling on society to confront the uncomfortable truths we frequently shy away from. She reminded the audience that healing and transformation only begin when we dare to speak the unspeakable and see the unseen.

Drawing from both personal stories and hard-hitting statistics, she emphasized how silence around abuse perpetuates cycles of harm. Rather than allowing fear or shame to stifle action, Jackie challenged us to engage in open, honest conversations. She framed this as a communal responsibility, underscoring that prevention, support, and justice cannot rest solely on institutions or a few individuals. It is a collective task that calls for empathy, vigilance, and courage from all of us.

Click Here To Listen:

Earlier this year, over 150 HR professionals gathered in Cape Town for the 4th Annual Africa HR Professionals Strategy Boot Camp, exploring how people-centered leadership can thrive in a tech-driven world. With themes ranging from mental wellness and gender inclusion to predictive analytics and AI, the event showcased how African HR leaders are reimagining the workplace with empathy, innovation, and strategy. The conversations sparked here are shaping a people-first, future-ready vision for organizations across the continent. Are you curious how HR is transforming in Africa?

Read more HERE.

#AfricaHR #FutureOfWork #HRLeadership #PeopleFirst #TechAndPeople #InclusionAtWork #HRInnovation #HRStrategy #AfricanWorkplaces #HRBootCamp2025

With urgent reflections like “the house is on fire,” the conversation cut through speculation to focus on action, how to rebuild with intention, equity, and local leadership at the center. From calls for radical solidarity to the importance of language and partnership, the dialogue emphasized one thing: the future of development lies in community-driven, collaborative, and context-aware systems.

Among the leading voices was Jacqueline Asiimwe, CEO of CivSource Africa, who passionately called for a shift from individualism to collective strength. Rooted in the African philosophy of Ubuntu, "I am because we are", Jacqueline emphasized the power of local giving, community-led philanthropy, and re-centering African agency in development. Her insights reminded us that long before external aid, African communities had systems of resilience, generosity, and growth that sustained them, and those systems remain vital today.

Read more about the highlights HERE:

Watch full conversation HERE: