The Uhuru Institute For Social Development - Kampala - Uganda

The Uhuru Institute for Social Development also known as TUI is registered as a company limited by guarantee, it was founded in June 2013. “Uhuru” is a Kiswahili word that translates as independence, freedom, implies good livelihood, dignity, happiness and hope that came with independence from colonialism. Kiswahili is language widely spoken in Eastern and Central Africa. TUI is a path breaker with powerful new ideas that combine visionary and real-world problem-solving creativity with strong ethical fiber. As a social business, TUI uses and applies business acumen to promote wealth creation, defend human rights, nurture democratic practice, and promoting social good. TUI focuses harnessing the untapped potential of collectives, through the cooperatives business principles for development in Africa. In 2012 TUI conducted strategic research for evidence based national and Pan-African level development policy decision making and public opinion in favour of the cooperative movement.

The TUI approach  to social business

Whenever a society is stuck with an idea, it needs an entrepreneur to see the opportunity to turn that into a realistic vision as social business; where change is created by applying business acumen in social initiatives to improve the lives of others. Social business is not a pure charity in a sense that it does not provide temporary relief; rather it leaves a lasting impact on the disadvantaged by creating sustainable business ventures to address socio-economic problems.

TUI designs instruments for producing social returns through efficient business models; commonly known as “double bottom line” investments. These includes grants for socially screened investment portfolios addressing particular social needs, to running actual business that generate profits that are ploughed back into development programs through.

• Revitalizing the cooperative movement, through training of trainers, leadership development and business planning support, mentoring and inter-cooperative learning visits. This is to reduce on the level of increasing poverty and despondency characteristics of the average citizen of Uganda to date using the principles of cooperatives and the power of collectives.
• Youth leadership and entrepreneurship development, youth camps, business incubation, mentorship, placements and intercultural festivals. TUI is therefore helping the youth increase their productivity level, competitiveness in the job market and self-sustainability in order to find solutions to widespread poverty, ignorance and lack of employment opportunities.
• Policy research and advocacy to influence government policy and public opinion in favor of the cooperative movement. Whenever innovations are growing, governments often take a little longer to, accept, adapt and invest in them. Therefore, for effective decision making, TUI undertakes specific action research and policy studies on cooperatives to support tactical and strategic advocacy.

Our vision

An enterprising, prosperous, peaceful, and happy society.

Our mission

We inspire citizens to generate wealth together.

Our ideology

We stand for an equitable society led by a developmental state, run alongside the principles of a social market economy that puts the citizen at the center of an inclusive, cooperative, and equitable system