What We Do

Intentional Philanthropic Funding

We trust leaders and their teams. We give a one-time unrestricted multi-year grant that lets vision breathe and strategy flex to teams who are solving complex challenges in East Africa. We provide additional support through our Sauti Fund to invest in their long-term sustainability.

Long-Horizon Impact Investing

We recognize that true philanthropy in Africa primarily happens between neighbors, family members, and friends.

To strengthen these existing networks, we complement our grantmaking with a small portfolio of strategic impact investments that build local wealth and keep resources circulating within communities.

This dual approach of philanthropy and impact investing addresses a fundamental reality: lasting transformation requires both visionary leadership and economic independence. When nonprofits develop reliable income sources and communities build their own wealth, positive change becomes self-sustaining rather than dependent on external funding.

Our impact investments operate as a revolving fund, where returns are continuously reinvested back into the region. As the fund grows and loans are repaid, these resources don’t leave the region—they recirculate to support new opportunities. This creates a multiplier effect where each investment dollar can fund multiple initiatives over time, expanding our impact while keeping capital working locally to build lasting economic resilience.

Brenda Tusiime leads Mema Agro Solutions, a venture producing Manni Fortified Porridge Flour to combat malnutrition in her community. Photo courtesy of our friends at Imagine Her.

Geographic Focus

We are exclusively seeking organizations led by local changemakers in Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Tanzania. In addition, we make selective ecosystem support grants that may span the broader region—or at times extend internationally—when they directly strengthen the work of African leaders in these countries.

Our investments and partnerships prioritize:

Overlooked Talent: Leaders with transformative ideas who are systematically excluded from traditional funding pathways.

Underserved Communities: Populations facing structural barriers to economic participation and essential services.

Grassroots Innovation: Solutions created by and for communities typically bypassed by mainstream development efforts.

The Sauti Fund

Powering the voice of African-led change

Too often, extraordinary African-led organizations don’t get the visibility they deserve—not because of the quality of their work, but because communications are chronically underfunded. The Sauti Fund provides portfolio grantees with an additional grant to strengthen their voice through storytelling, branding, digital tools, and visibility opportunities. From producing flagship materials to attending global gatherings, this fund helps leaders share their impact more clearly and confidently. By amplifying their voices, we aim to open doors to new partnerships, sustainable resources, and global visibility.

Lucky runs a biodigester and dairy operation in her community, transforming household waste into clean energy and organic fertilizer. Photo courtesy of our friends at Imagine Her.

Hero photo: A one on one session with a community person, courtesy of our friends at Barefoot Law.