Admin I Monday, May 19, 2025
UGANDA – A Ugandan social entrepreneur is urging Western charities to stop freely sending donations and to turn their attention to investing into business in Africa.
Haril Kazindra and wife Andrea are the co-founders of Musana, a community development NGO that runs 19 social enterprises including schools, hospitals and hotels across Uganda.
The couple are challenging charity leaders, businesses, foundations and politicians to promote business methods rather than freely sending money. They visit London this month to kick-start a series of global events to promote their message.
Musana – which has offices in Denver and London – impacts close to 100,000 people per year and employs 700 staff, generating close to $500,000 in profit which is then invested into further expansion.
They seek donations for set-up and building costs, but don’t require Western money for their operating budget, making their Uganda office not only self-sustainable but profitable.
This approach destroys the dependency most charities place on Western donors and empowers locals to be entrepreneurial, says Haril.
“For NGOs, relying heavily on foreign funding can hinder efforts to become self-sufficient and locally led, stunting long-term sustainability and innovation. In our case, staff became complacent in raising local funds, knowing that foreign money would cover most expenses.
“But this year alone our Ugandan staff have generated millions of dollars, the profits can then be invested back into community.
“If our fundraising offices were closed today then our services in Africa would continue to run. We aren’t reliant on Western money! Many of the methods NGOs use are outdated – the sector needs a rethink.”
Andrea – who describes herself as a ‘former white saviour’ – added: “Uganda has amazing talent and incredible skill – our job in the West is to empower them, not create a culture where they need us.
“I have been amazed at the Musana team in Uganda and am continually in awe at their brilliance and how they run Musana’s projects. I want businesses, governments and charities to see that this is the way to develop long-term transformation.”
