How local giving is quietly redistributing power in Western Uganda

Download the new research paper from Gerald Kankya of the Twerwaneho Listeners’ Club, Understanding the Relationship Between Community Philanthropy and Social Justice Movement Building in Western Uganda.

Western Uganda is one of the country’s most naturally endowed, resource-rich regions. Though large-scale “conservation” and “development” projects across the region – financed by external actors with significant resources and power – have led to human rights violations, economic displacement and attacks against human rights defenders. But in the face of such pressure, communities and social justice movements are mobilizing: not waiting for external support, they are resourcing their own struggles against harmful investments. Our new research set out to better understand this relationship, between community philanthropy and social justice movement building in Western Uganda.

To go back to the beginning, in 2006 we were a small group of human rights activists. We launched two radio programmes – Twerwaneho (“let’s struggle for ourselves”) and Nsonga Ha Nsonga (“point by point”) – through which activists openly discussed human rights issues affecting our communities. This included issues such as corruption, land grabbing and other abuses tied to land. The popularity of the programmes led listeners to form in-person listening clubs, a common practice in Uganda. This eventually gave birth to what we now call the Twerwaneho Listeners’ Club (TLC). A key idea behind TLC is that it was always intended to be an entity that would be bigger than individuals; an entity that would shield and protect activists from threats and attacks from authorities and other power-holders who our work seeks to challenge. To keep our work alive and locally-rooted, over the years we have been increasingly turning to communities themselves, tapping into the resources that exist there. People have given us what they could – from money to labour to local knowledge to solidarity. This co-funding model continues to fuel our ongoing human rights organizing, and it has deepened our reflections on the link between community philanthropy and social justice movement building.

Which brings me back to the current research. What we learned through this is that community philanthropy is becoming increasingly recognized for its potential to drive transformative change and shift power dynamics. Unlike traditional top-down development aid, it mobilizes local assets, capacities and knowledge to build trust and collective action. In the Rwenzori region, the relationship between community philanthropy and social justice movement building is deeply intertwined, acting as a catalyst for local empowerment and structural change. Rooted in cultural practices like solidarity, reciprocity and shared responsibility, this grassroots philanthropy directs resources towards the most pressing needs identified by the community itself. By leveraging local assets – such as local knowledge and communal labour – rural communities are able to fund initiatives that challenge deep-seated inequalities, particularly around issues such as land rights, gender equality and access to justice. This alignment of local giving with advocacy ensures that social justice movements are not only sustainable, but also genuinely representative of the people they serve.

By resourcing their own struggles, rural communities are directly challenging the power dynamics that often render them as passive beneficiaries. By giving what they have to give, marginalized groups — the poor, women, youth and persons with disabilities — are taking control of the development agenda, turning “charity” into a strategic tool for systemic transformation. In the Rwenzori region, this looks like collective action against land grabbing, organizing on the frontlines for access to natural resources and fair benefits sharing, and using community volunteer networks to promote environmental justice. These efforts move beyond immediate relief, but rather in the spirit of the #ShiftThePower movement build local capacity and foster the long-term accountability of duty-bearers.

Ultimately, the future of social justice in the region depends on nurturing this symbiotic relationship, where community resources, knowledge and talent are recognized as the primary drivers of change. While challenges such as limited funding and organizational capacity remain, the shift towards locally-owned philanthropy offers a more resilient, relevant and effective pathway to development. By strengthening these local initiatives, fostering cultures of local giving, understanding “resources” in a broad sense, and enhancing the capacities of grassroots leaders, we move towards a more equitable society where marginalized voices are heard, rights are defended and power is redistributed closer to the people. I invite you to read our research to learn more about what this looks like, and why it matters, in Western Uganda.

By: Gerald Kankya, Team Leader, Twerwaneho Listeners’ Club.