Summary:
- Jacqueline Asiimwe, Executive Officer of CivSource Africa and Chairperson of the East African Philanthropy Network (EAPN), highlighted the need for policies that promote generous giving as a way to support the national economy.
KAMPALA: Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Uganda have called on the government to establish a policy that incentivizes local philanthropic giving.
This appeal was made on Thursday at a symposium for journalists, communication experts, and civil society representatives, organized by the Uganda National NGO Forum in collaboration with CivSource Africa, a philanthropy support organization. The event took place at Royal Suites Hotel, Bugolobi, in Kampala.
The Uganda National NGO Forum represents over 700 NGOs working in various sectors across the country.
Jacqueline Asiimwe, Executive Officer of CivSource Africa and Chairperson of the East African Philanthropy Network (EAPN), highlighted the need for policies that promote generous giving as a way to support the national economy. She noted that many acts of philanthropy go undocumented, and there is no clear system in place to track or acknowledge their impact.
“We have been engaging the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, Development and Economic Planning, and the Uganda Revenue Authority to explore how policy could encourage local giving,” Asiimwe said.
She cited South Africa as an example, where laws require companies to contribute a minimum of 10% of their income to community development, a strategy that was introduced to tackle the poverty resulting from apartheid.
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Robert Ninyesiga, Program Coordinator for Philanthropy for Development at the Uganda National NGO Forum, urged the government to create an enabling environment for generous donors to support national initiatives, similar to the response seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“You remember when the president would publicly acknowledge companies and individuals who donated money, food, and equipment to manage the pandemic? Where did those donors go? It’s time we designed strategies that make it easier for them to continue their good work,” Ninyesiga said.
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Ninyesiga also emphasized the importance of engaging the media to document acts of philanthropy, in the hope that doing so will inspire more local donations.
“Our current focus is on promoting local giving,” he added.
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