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our approach

The Trust’s support for its beneficiaries is entirely provided by volunteers, mostly from the community in Gulu. The support we give is often monetary, but may also or instead involve counselling and guidance, practical advice and support to families, crisis interventions of many kinds, and business advice and planning. We give grants for primary and secondary education; for medical care, including on occasion traditional healing and reconciliation rituals; for legal assistance; and to start small businesses.

Direct Cash Giving

Over the last 10 years there has been a great expansion of programmes that give cash directly to individuals and families in poverty – “direct giving” – rather than indirect support through services such as health, education, or sanitation. The assumption behind direct giving is that people themselves are the best judge of what they need.

Our approach is based on the same assumption. We believe that each individual situation requires a different approach; and that if money is needed, the people who need it know best what it should be spent on.

You can read more about what the impact of our cash grants here. And you can find out more about the research behind direct giving from:

 Business and Practical Advice

The Trust’s base in Gulu serves as an informal drop-in point for beneficiaries, a safe environment where they can find support and advice, as well as study and recreation facilities, including books and a computer with internet access. Our volunteers know the people receiving our support very well and so the nature of the support and guidance they receive depends upon their individual circumstances. Some people want guidance as they start or grow a business; other people have a specific issue, perhaps with a family member or a legal concern, that they need to talk through. 
 
Our approach is rooted in an engagement with each person or family’s situation. We do not aim to reach hundreds of thousands of people, or develop a scalable solution to any social issue. Our funding helps people with direct and immediate needs, at the time they are experienced. 
 

Annual Reports

You can find our more about our impact in our annual reports: