dfcu Bank is inviting customers to move their everyday and festive spending from cash to card with an end-of-year campaign that rewards every swipe, tap and online payment made using a dfcu Visa card.

Running under the theme “Pay. Save. Get More.” until 31 December 2026, the campaign offers cardholders up to UGX 40,000 in cashback for every UGX 500,000 spent at any merchant point of sale that accepts dfcu cards, equivalent to up to 8% back, plus discounts of up to 20% on online shopping and airline bookings.

Up to 8% Cashback
The offers cover popular spending categories among Ugandans at this time of year, including dining, fuel, groceries, retail, travel, hospitality and online shopping. Cashback is calculated from verified eligible spend, with no draws or prize entries.

Customers simply pay using their dfcu Visa card, accumulate eligible spend and earn value back on purchases they were already planning to make.

Up to 20% Discounts
For online shopping and airline bookings, cardholders can enjoy discounts of up to 20%. The airline offers apply to bookings with Emirates, Qatar Airways and Ethiopian Airlines, giving customers travelling across borders more value on flights paid for with their dfcu Visa cards.

Isaac Bigirwa, dfcu Bank Head of Cards and Payments, explained that the final quarter of the year is one of the busiest spending periods, as households stock up for the holidays, families travel, and friends and colleagues gather to celebrate.

According to Bigirwa, the campaign is designed to turn cards in wallets into cards in use by giving customers practical reasons to reach for their Visa card first and to keep doing so throughout the festive season.

“Many of our customers already carry a dfcu Visa card, and the festive season is when spending is at its highest, so it is the right moment to make that card work harder for them. Pay. Save. Get More. is a simple promise. Use your card for the things you were already going to buy, and you get value back through cashback on your eligible spend and discounts when you shop online or book your flights. It is also a safer and more convenient way to pay, without the need to carry cash,” Bigirwa said.

The campaign primarily targets existing dfcu debit and credit cardholders, particularly those who hold a card but use it only occasionally. It also speaks to digitally active customers, festive-season shoppers, commuters, travellers, diners and families spending across various retail and service categories.

Customers can take part through contactless, point-of-sale and e-commerce payments, subject to the campaign terms and conditions.

As the season builds, dfcu Bank is highlighting the cashback offer at selected merchants where customers shop and dine, including Fraine Supermarket and Caramel. However, the cashback applies at any merchant point of sale that accepts dfcu cards.

Customers will see the campaign across social media, digital platforms, radio, television, and participating merchant outlets, featuring live demonstrations of how easily they can pay with a dfcu Visa card.

The campaign reflects dfcu’s wider drive to promote secure, convenient and cashless payments while making everyday banking more rewarding. Customers are encouraged to use their dfcu Visa cards at merchants and online, and to keep track of their eligible spending to earn cashback.

A conversation with William Kayongo, Head of Enterprise Banking at dfcu Bank
For many Ugandans, paying for electricity, water, television or social security contributions is not hard because of the amount alone. It is hard because of the time, travel and the queues involved. A delayed payment can interrupt service, and for a business, missing a statutory obligation can lead to penalties and disruption.

Through its Wenja Amaja campaign, dfcu Bank is bringing banking closer to communities through agents, merchants, branches, activations and digital channels. In this interview, William Kayongo, Head of Enterprise Banking at dfcu Bank, discusses what the campaign means, how customers can settle utility and statutory payments closer to where they live and work, the safeguards that protect their money, and the opportunities it creates for agents, merchants and businesses.

Q: What Is Wenja Amaja, And Why Is dfcu running It?

WILLIAM: Wenja Amaja is a dfcu initiative to make banking more convenient and more accessible. Too often, customers have to go out of their way for a service they need every day. We want to reverse that by taking banking closer to them through our agents, merchants, branches, activations and alternative channels. We also reward our agents and merchants when they serve customers, so that every solution we offer is available right at the customer’s doorstep. Wenja Amaja is about making banking part of everyday life: closer, easier and more rewarding.

Q: What Does “Wenja Amaja” Mean?

WILLIAM: It is a call to identify and grow opportunities for our agents, our merchants and our customers, through convenient banking. It invites customers, agents and businesses to take an active part in banking and to grow together with dfcu.

Q: Why Is Convenience Becoming So Important, And What Do Customers Struggle with When Paying Bills?

WILLIAM: Customers want banking services near them. Modern banking is about accessibility and saving time, and communities need financial services close to where they live and do business. The challenges people face are familiar: long queues, the cost of transport to a service point, and time lost moving from one place to another to pay different bills. Add the risk that a delayed payment leads to an interruption in service, and even the trip to a banking hall becomes an inconvenience in itself.

Q: Which Utility Payments Can Customers Make Through dfcu Agents?

WILLIAM: Customers can use dfcu agents to pay for UEDCL electricity, NWSC water bills, DStv, GOtv and Jubilee Insurance. These are everyday payments people make month after month, and we are promoting them through our agent network so customers can settle them without leaving their neighbourhood. The benefits are reduced travel costs; less time spent in queues and banking services within easy reach.

Q: What if There Is No dfcu Branch Nearby?

WILLIAM: You can still pay. That is the whole idea of the campaign. We are bringing services closer to customers through a growing network of agents, merchants and alternative channels, so the absence of a nearby branch should not stand between a customer and an essential payment.

Q: Beyond Utilities, Can Customers also Settle Statutory Obligations Through Agents?

WILLIAM: Yes. Customers can use dfcu agents for statutory settlements, including NSSF contributions and other supported statutory payments. The campaign promotes both utility bill payments and statutory settlements through the dfcu agent network.

Q: Why Does This Matter for SMEs and Business Owners, And How Does It Support Growth?

WILLIAM: For a business, these payments are about compliance, and compliance protects you from penalties. When payments are easy to make on time, owners manage cash flow better and avoid the downtime that comes with disruptions.

It also gives business owners their time back. When you are not travelling from one payment point to another, you can focus on your core business. Transactions are processed faster, record-keeping is easier, and the administrative burden is lighter. Business owners should spend their time growing their businesses, not standing in payment queues.

Q: What Exactly Is a dfcu Agent, And What Else Can Customers Do at an Agent Point?

WILLIAM: A dfcu agent is an approved business or individual who provides selected banking services on behalf of the bank, after meeting our onboarding and compliance requirements. Beyond utility and statutory payments, customers can make deposit transactions, access everyday banking services and get convenient customer support within their communities.

Q: How Can a Customer Be Sure They Are Dealing with a Genuine dfcu Agent?

WILLIAM: Look for the official dfcu Agent Banking signage. You can also visit www.dfcugroup.com or call our toll-free lines, 0800 222000 or 0800 777000, and our team will guide you.

Q: Many People Worry About the Safety of Their Money. Are Deposits Protected?

WILLIAM: Yes. dfcu Bank is regulated by the Bank of Uganda, and customer deposits are protected through the Deposit Protection Fund of Uganda up to the applicable limit of UGX 10 million, subject to applicable terms and conditions. Customers can also take confidence from the fact that we work with verified agents, use secure transaction channels and provide dedicated helplines for support.

Q: Wenja Amaja also speaks of Opportunity. What Does That Look Like for Agents, Merchants and Businesses?

WILLIAM: Customers get banking closer to them. Agents attract more customers and more business. Merchants gain convenient ways to collect payments, and businesses enjoy easier settlements and support. For anyone interested in becoming a dfcu agent, the benefits include an additional income opportunity, increased customer footfall, the ability to serve your community and access to campaign rewards where applicable.

Q: What Would You Like Customers, Agents and Businesses to Take Away from This Campaign?

WILLIAM: Banking should fit into your life, not take over your day. Whether you are paying for power, water, TV or NSSF, you can do so closer to home, more securely and in a more timely fashion. Wenja Amaja is our invitation to every customer, agent and business to find the opportunity in everyday banking and grow with dfcu.

Conclusion
Convenience is no longer a luxury in banking; it is what customers expect. By making it possible to pay utility bills and statutory obligations through agents close to where people live and work, Wenja Amaja saves customers time and travel costs, helps businesses stay compliant, and keeps essential services running without interruption.

dfcu Bank has introduced a new Home Loans offer at 16.9% interest per annum, giving customers looking to buy, build or refinance a home more flexibility to manage the cost of property ownership.

The offer combines financing of up to 85% of the open market value of a residential property, a 60-day repayment holiday, financing of the insurance premium and confirmation of qualifying home loans within 48 hours, subject to terms and conditions.

Buying a home is rarely about the purchase price alone. Beyond raising a deposit, prospective homeowners must plan for valuation, insurance and other transaction costs, while considering how a mortgage repayment will fit alongside other household and financial commitments. The new offer is designed to ease some of that pressure for customers transitioning into home ownership.

“Buying a home is not simply a question of whether a customer qualifies for a particular loan amount. There is the customer’s own contribution, the costs associated with completing the transaction and the monthly repayment that will sit alongside other financial obligations for a number of years. We want to help customers structure that commitment at a level they can sustain,” said Sebastian Murokozi, Manager Home Loans at dfcu Bank.

Under the offer, customers purchasing residential property can access financing of up to 85% of the property’s open market value, with repayment spread over a period of up to 20 years. Customers building homes are required to contribute at least 30% towards the construction.

But the route to owning property isn’t the same for everyone. Some customers are buying their first completed home, while others are purchasing land and preparing to build. There are also customers developing rental properties, Ugandans living abroad investing back home, and existing property owners looking to refinance or release some of the value they have already built in their property.

The dfcu Home Loans portfolio caters for these different needs, with financing available for completed residential property and land, construction and structural renovation, rental developments, mortgage refinancing and equity release.

The offer is available to qualifying salaried employees and self-employed customers, as well as Ugandans living in the diaspora with verifiable income and expatriates working in Uganda with valid permits.

For existing homeowners, refinancing provides an opportunity to move a mortgage held with another financial institution to dfcu Bank, while equity release allows qualifying customers to borrow against property they already own. Customers investing in rental property can also access financing for the development of up to 8 residential rental units on a single title.

The Bank is also addressing some of the costs customers encounter at the beginning of the mortgage journey. Financing the insurance premium means customers don’t have to meet that cost separately upfront, while the 60-day repayment holiday gives them time before scheduled mortgage repayments begin.

Customers can also benefit from dfcu Bank’s relationships with property developers and agents, including Build Net, HK Properties, Universal Multipurpose, Knightsbridge Avenue, Fakhruddin Properties, Royal Palms, Aesthetics, Comfort Homes and Pearl Marina. Selected partnerships provide concessions on transaction costs. Eligible customers purchasing through HK Properties, for example, benefit from waived legal and professional fees.

“A home loan gives customers the ability to acquire the property they want without having to raise the full purchase price upfront. With financing of up to 85% of the property value and repayment periods of up to 20 years, customers have the flexibility to spread the cost over time and make the move into home ownership sooner,” Murokozi said.

Customers also have access to dedicated relationship management and financial advisory support throughout the process. When a borrower later experiences financial difficulty, the Bank encourages early engagement to ensure that available restructuring options are considered.

Having operated in Uganda since 1964, dfcu has worked with generations of Ugandans as they have built businesses, invested and created assets. The Home Loans offer extends that experience to an investment that remains deeply significant for many customers, whether they are buying their first home, building, investing in rental property or using an existing property to pursue their next financial goal.

On 27 October 2026, dfcu Bank Limited launched its Inaugural Report to Society 2025, outlining how its banking operations and community investment initiatives have contributed to Uganda’s economic development, financial inclusion and community wellbeing.

Held at Serena Hotel in Kigo, the launch brought together leaders from dfcu Limited, dfcu Bank, dfcu Foundation, alongside customers, stakeholders and partners. Discussions focused on responsible banking, enterprise growth, accountability and the need to measure institutional success beyond financial performance.

The report documented dfcu’s work in financing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), supporting women entrepreneurs, strengthening agricultural value chains, expanding access to financial services and advancing community development. It also covered environmental initiatives and partnerships aimed at improving livelihoods across Uganda.

Speaking at the launch, Dr Winifred Mary Tarinyeba Kiryabwire, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of dfcu Bank Limited, said the report was an important step towards greater accountability and visibility of the Bank’s contribution to its stakeholders.

“There’s a common view that banks simply take deposits, charge high fees, and charge high interest rates. At dfcu, we would like to be judged differently; not by what we take, but by the difference we make and what we help to make possible,” she said.

Dr Kiryabwire noted that the report addressed the expectations of regulators seeking transparency, shareholders looking for sustainable value, employees seeking inclusive workplaces and customers expecting financial institutions to respond to their needs.

One of the highlighted initiatives was dfcu Bank’s Women in Business programme, which has supported more than 80,000 women entrepreneurs by promoting enterprise development and access to financial services.

Mr Charles M. Mudiwa, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of dfcu Bank Limited, said publishing the report reflected the Bank’s responsibility to account for the trust and resources entrusted to it by customers, investors and the wider public.

“Our customers and stakeholders entrust us with their money, their businesses and their confidence. We therefore have a responsibility to account for how we use those resources and what they help us achieve,” he said.

Mr Mudiwa explained that the report brought together impact stories and key figures from the Bank’s work, giving stakeholders a clearer picture of its contribution beyond financial products and services. He added that dfcu aimed to remain a resilient, purpose-driven institution whose services enabled meaningful progress for individuals and businesses across Uganda.

According to the report, dfcu Bank financed 6,527 SMEs in 2025, supporting businesses across the economy. The Bank also reported that its community health interventions reached more than 25,000 Ugandans.

Through a three-year partnership with Rotary Uganda, dfcu Bank committed UGX 1 billion to expand access to preventive healthcare through community medical camps. With recent health camps held in Jinja, Mbuya, Mutungo, Kasenyi Landing Site, and Kamwokya, these camps provide free outpatient consultations, diagnostic tests, medicines, dental and eye care, health education and referrals. They also screen for conditions including hypertension, diabetes, HIV, cancer and sickle cell disease.

The initiative aims to reduce barriers to healthcare, encourage early detection and connect communities with essential medical services.

Dr James Ssemwanga, Chairperson of the dfcu Foundation, said the Foundation’s transition from a Business Development Centre to dfcu Foundation in 2024 strengthened its focus on enterprise development, financial inclusion and sustainable economic growth:

“Since 2018, dfcu Foundation has supported more than 4,000 enterprises and reached over 80,000 beneficiaries, the majority of whom are women and young people. In 2025, we facilitated approximately UGX 38 billion in credit, helping enterprises access formal financial services and invest in growth. Our ambition for 2025-2030 is to support more than 100,000 additional beneficiaries by strengthening enterprises, connecting value chains and building productive market ecosystems,” he said.

The report put financing facilitated through dfcu Foundation at UGX 38.08 billion, highlighting its role in connecting enterprises to formal finance and supporting business growth.

Mr Jimmy D. Mugerwa, Chairman of the Board of Directors of dfcu Limited, the holding company of dfcu Bank, described the report as a milestone in the Group’s efforts to combine financial performance with responsible corporate citizenship.

“We hope this initiative encourages a wider culture of transparency in which responsible businesses report not only on what they earn, but also on what they contribute to society,” he said.

Mr Mugerwa noted that dfcu had operated in Uganda since 1964 and reaffirmed the Group’s commitment to building a resilient institution for future generations. He also recognised the contributions of employees, customers, shareholders, partners and communities, linking the report to Uganda’s broader development priorities, including economic growth and expanded opportunities for businesses and households.

Prominently featured in the report are environmental initiatives, with campaign materials citing 62,000 trees planted or distributed in 2025. However, the long-term impact of such programmes depends on factors including tree survival rates, maintenance arrangements and environmental outcomes. Distinguishing between trees planted and distributed is therefore important when assessing their lasting contribution to environmental resilience.

More broadly, the report reflected the growing importance of environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations in banking. This involves understanding how financial decisions affect businesses, livelihoods, communities and the environment, while maintaining appropriate governance, risk management and accountability.

Helena Mayanja, Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at dfcu Bank Limited, said the report brought together the different dimensions of the Bank’s contribution and made them more accessible to stakeholders:

“The purpose of this report is to show what happens when finance opens doors, enables businesses to grow and creates opportunities that extend beyond the immediate customer relationship,” she said.

Ms Mayanja encouraged stakeholders to read the full report and use it to understand the programmes, partnerships and impact figures documented by dfcu. The report is available on dfcu Bank’s official website.

Among those attending were Dr Jeff Sebuyira-Mukasa, Dr Danny Zandamela, George Njuguna MBS, Millie Nkaja, Amanda Kabagambe and Mr Mark William Springett, Non-Executive Directors of dfcu Bank Limited; Kate K. Kiiza, Executive Director and Chief Corporate and Institutional Banking Officer; Margaret Karume, Executive Director and Chief Credit Officer; and Maryann Wanjiku Michuki, Chief Business Solutions and Marketing Officer, amongst other senior members of the dfcu Bank management committee.

Representing the dfcu Limited Board were Francis Gimara SC, Dr Aminah Zawedde, Fred Pelser, CPA FCCA Keto Nyapendi Kayemba, and Barbra Teddy Arimi, alongside Sophie Achak, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of dfcu Limited. The dfcu Foundation was represented by Mabel Ndawula, Executive Director; Kate Kiiza, Non-Executive Director; and Dr Victoria Sekitoleko, Board Member.

Other attendees included Mrs Rosemary McGarvey, Chairperson of the Women Business Advisory Council; Geoffrey Martin Kitakule, Immediate Past District Governor and District Learning Facilitator of Rotary District 9213; and Mr Karthik Palan, the event host from Serena Kigo.

What if I told you luck isn’t random? And that it’s maybe a probability problem, and the people you deem lucky aren’t actually lucky?

Maybe these people just happen to know something that you don’t. James H. Austin, an American neurologist and author, in his 1978 book Chase, Chance, & Creativity: The Lucky Art of Novelty, states that there are four types of luck, as explained below.

#1. Blind Luck
Winning the lottery, being born into a family with everything people yearn for or being born in a country with more opportunities; these are things that are out of your control, and this is what most people think of when they think of luck.

But remember, since you don’t choose either side of the coin, whether to be born into a rich or humble family or to win or lose the lottery, relying on blind luck is a trap. Looking to the past or the future for a lucky break breeds passivity. You must take action to break the cycle or somewhat influence it. This invites us to the second kind of chance.

#2. Luck from Motion
Think of putting yourself in positions where luck is more likely to find you. You say hello to strangers; maybe one of them could be your next client; attend that conference, and apply for the job you think you might not get. You move to a dense city filled with more opportunities: migrating from your village or town to Kampala, Kampala to Nairobi, or onward to New York, London, or Singapore. Most importantly, you say yes to new experiences and seize every opportunity that comes by. By taking these steps, you actively expand the surface area for luck to land.

Remember, the more places you go, people you meet, and experiences you try, the more surface area you create for unexpected luck to strike.

#3. Luck From Awareness
This hits hard! We live in a world where millions of students start school and graduate only to compete for the same careers. In such a crowded system, unique awareness becomes a powerful tool. Because when everyone is looking in the same direction, you have to ask: How do I see things differently?

Seven people can look at the same situation, yet only one or two will spot the hidden opportunity behind it. As the saying goes, chance favours the prepared mind, or in this case, the person actively looking for it.

To paint a clear picture, take SafeBoda co-founder Ricky Rapa Thomson, who was just another Kampala rider in 2014 until he chose to reimagine the Boda Boda industry instead of simply waiting around for customers. The same is true for the innovators behind the M-Pesa/Mobile money idea that has simplified financial transactions for millions.

#4. Luck from Uniqueness
This is how you turn the tables. You put yourself out there and become known for a specific expertise. By developing a unique skill set, you become the go-to person in your area, the graphic designer everyone hires for posters, the photographer called for every wedding, or the attorney everyone recommends. At this point, opportunity starts chasing you more than you do.

In the end, while most are waiting for luck to find them, have you ever wondered if luck is actually waiting to be found? Maybe I should’ve just called this “How to Create Your Own Luck”, lol.

Most of us never question monthly bills. Yaka, water, rent, internet, girlfriend, TV money leaves the account every month like the monsoon winds are sweeping it away, and we shrug and call it ‘this Museveni country.’ Truth is, we are so addicted to this city life that we never think about how much it drains our pockets and sanity, and we are so in love with calling a friend for an urgent ka-10K!

Because if you actually sit down and think about it, almost none of those costs have to be paid monthly. It just takes upfront money and a plan. And I am not even a genius.

Step One: Buy The Land, Or Put It in Place
Everything else on this list depends on this one decision, so get it right first.

Land you own outright lets you do anything you want on it without asking anyone’s permission. Rented land, or land you’re still paying off, keeps you one disagreement away from losing everything you’ve built on it.

Go for rural or peri-urban land zoned agricultural rather than urban plots; it’s cheaper to buy, carries lower ongoing property rates, and gives you room to run a farm rather than a garden box. Get the title properly searched and registered before you build anything. Skipping that step to save a bit of money is how people lose land they thought they owned. And get a lawyer; LC chairmen will fleece you.

Once the land is yours, everything below becomes a construction project instead of a negotiation.

Water: Dig Once, Drink for Decades
A borehole is the single biggest lever here; once it’s drilled, your water bill is essentially gone for good.

Add a solar-powered pump, an elevated tank, and rainwater harvesting off your roof as backup; Uganda’s rains make this genuinely worthwhile. Get the water tested before you drink it straight; shallow groundwater here can carry iron or bacteria you’ll want filtered out first.

Power: Let The Sun Send the Bill
Uganda’s sun shows up to work daily, making solar sizing far more predictable than in other places. Start by tallying what you actually use: every appliance, its wattage, hours per day. Most households in Uganda land somewhere between 5 and 15 kWh per day. Build from there: enough solar panels to cover it, a lithium battery bank to ride out a cloudy day or two, a hybrid inverter to tie it together, and a small generator kept strictly for emergencies, not daily use.

Get quotes from installers who’ve actually been around a while; after-sales support in this market varies wildly, and a cheap install with no support is a bad trade.

TV: Pay Once, Watch Forever
This one is simple. Buy a television with a built-in DVB-T2 tuner, or a standalone free-to-air decoder, usually at UGX 70,000 to 120,000, and you get NTV, NBS, Bukedde, UBC, and the rest with no subscription, ever. Look for the Signet or UCC compliance mark and buy from a licensed dealer; many knockoff boxes are floating around that aren’t worth the savings.

Want more than local channels? A satellite dish paired with a proper FTA receiver opens up a much bigger world, hundreds of genuinely unencrypted international channels beamed from satellites like Intelsat 20, Eutelsat, and Astra, covering news (Al Jazeera, Press TV, BBC-adjacent feeds), religious programming, documentaries, and African diaspora content. In Uganda, people usually reach for StarSat-branded boxes, Strong receivers, Zgemma units, or generic combo boxes sold as “Q-Box” on Jumia and in electronics shops around Kampala.

Food and Fuel: Make the Land Earn Its Keep
Museveni’s One-acre model is not as bad as we think. Divide your land into modest plots with a vegetable patch, some fruit trees, and a handful of chickens or goats.

If you’re keeping animals anyway, add a biogas digester: manure and kitchen scraps turn into cooking gas, and your charcoal bill quietly disappears. No livestock yet? A fast-growing woodlot does the same job for firewood, turning a monthly purchase into something your own land produces.

A composting toilet closes the loop even further; no sewage bill, and it feeds straight back into the compost heap.

The Costs that Don’t Look Like Bills but Are
A few expenses hide in plain sight because nobody labels them “utilities,” but they behave exactly like one:

Charcoal and firewood – solved above with biogas or a woodlot.
Fuel for transport – an electric motorcycle charged off your own solar setup.
Airtime – WiFi-powered calls (WhatsApp) instead of buying telecom credit.
Bank fees and loan interest – a SACCO for savings, an emergency fund instead of borrowing.
Private security subscriptions – a solid wall and a couple of dogs, the old rural standby.

Put Some Money to Work, Not Just into the Ground
Everything above is about cutting expenses. But there’s a second half to real financial independence: making your money grow on its own, without you having to farm it or fix it. That’s where the stock market comes in.

Uganda has its own securities exchange, the Uganda Securities Exchange (USE), where you can buy shares in publicly listed companies and government or corporate bonds through a licensed stockbroker. Shares give you a stake in a company’s profits (paid out as dividends) and its growth in value over time. Bonds pay you fixed interest for lending money to a government or company, generally steadier and lower-risk than shares.

The appeal for someone chasing self-sufficiency is simple: unlike a borehole or a solar array, this is money that works for you without any maintenance, land, or supervision. A portion of whatever you would otherwise spend on rent or subscriptions is redirected into a mix of shares and bonds over years, building a second income stream that isn’t tied to your farm, your health, or the weather.

A few honest notes: this isn’t free money, and it isn’t guaranteed. Share prices go up and down, and you can lose money as well as make it. Spread your money across several companies and a mix of bonds rather than betting on one stock, and treat it as a long-term holding, not something you touch every month. I’m not a financial advisor, so talk to a licensed stockbroker or financial advisor before you commit real money; they can walk you through the actual companies and bonds on offer and what fits your situation.

Where This Leaves You
Nothing here gets you to absolutely zero. Property rates, government taxes that keep appearing from nowhere, occasional equipment servicing, and basic legal compliance tend to stick around no matter how self-sufficient you get. But land, water, power, television, food, and a chunk of your fuel costs really can move from “money out the door every month” to “paid for once,” and the money you free up from cutting those bills can go straight into shares and bonds that quietly grow while you’re busy running the farm.

Buy the land first; everything else follows from that one decision.

Compiled by Mwesigwa Joshua

Ever thought deeply about the typical financial counsel African parents, even your father, bless his soul, pass down to their children when they are coming of age? “Son, I’m giving you a good education from good schools. After graduating, you’ll have to work hard; don’t look at my wealth because it’s mine and your mother’s. I too started from nothing, ahem ahem… so learn a skill on which you will build something for your family too. Start small. I could perhaps give you some capital to err…start a small business of your wish.” Then on they go: “We expect you to take care of us when we grow old,” and so forth. Sounds familiar?

Because this has been repeated so many times into our African ears, this mindset appears so ‘right’ that we grow up trying to ‘make mzee proud by being a real man who worked his own way up the ladder to become something.’ That, however, is a very dysfunctional approach to finances, and it validates the proverb “a fool (or a fool’s family) and his money will soon part” Hell, it will take you on all those Tom Sawyer adventures, but that’s it. It won’t keep your wealth intact beyond your lifespan. Because, hey, how can you keep the wealth you work so hard for when the very people who should perpetuate it, namely your offspring, have been made to feel like they are some parasites that need to be DOOMed as soon as they clock 18. No wonder when kids hit the second floor, African parents start feeling a selfish type of way, acting all protective of family wealth. Why? No one has taught African parents something called Old Money.

See, there is a quiet difference between Wealthy people and families who have had money for centuries and show no single sign of losing it. There is a behavioural difference between someone who grew up around money and one who just got it. One looks loud; the other, boring and basic. Guess which one is still standing after three historical world recessions and serious global economic disruptions? The boring one, and that is Old Money, baby!

Old Money is not old Pablo-Escobar bills that have been around for so long that rats are nibbling on them. No! Old Money is wealth that moves through a family like a river (it moves down from Great-granny to Granny to Father to Son), not like rain. For rain comes hard, soaks everyone and their mother, and is gone by Tuesday. A river has banks, channels, and even people who know how to clean off hyacinth.

Families with Old Money did three things early: they owned assets, not just a good home and cars. They separated spending from identity. And they handed the money and wealth to their children, and, no, they didn’t hand it to fools; they taught them how to grow it into bigger money.

Think of the Rockefellers (some stinking-rich chaps in the States); they started in oil, banking, and trade, then they moved cash into land, companies and trusts/bonds. The founders got rich; educated their children on how to grow the wealth, venturing into modern businesses like hotels, real estate, tech, etc., and not chasing random degrees to become doctors or engineers.

By the time you meet a 25-year-old from that line, they are not ‘figuring out life’ or ‘using dad’s connections for a government job. No. They are joining a board, managing a foundation or studying how to steward capital. For the Rockefellers, money didn’t start at zero; someone in 1920 decided it wouldn’t.

How Old Money Is Made
Again, don’t mistake Old Money families for wealthy families. Sudhir and Ham’s strong businesses, striking homes, Bentleys, and Range Rovers aren’t necessarily Old Money. We can’t predict if their wealth will still be here 100 years after they die. What could qualify them as Old Money is what they teach their children about this wealth, and whether their wealth is not tied to them as individuals. Old Money folks do this:

#1. They buy assets that compound: Land in prime areas, shares/stocks/bonds in productive and highly insured businesses (government bonds are a rare treasure), buildings that collect rent. They spend on income, not on principal.

#2. They use structures: Family trusts, holding companies, and family constitutions. This sounds boring because, yes, it is boring. But boring protects money from emotional decisions.

#3. Delayed gratification: The rule is ‘we don’t eat the seed.’ You can enjoy the harvest, but you have to replant. So you won’t be seeing them with the latest iPhone if it’s not directly generating an income. They do not need to market themselves with expensive stuff because their target market does not rely on impressions. They buy stuff that lasts years (if you’ve been to a home with very old but strong authentic-looking furniture UKWIM), and try to avoid things that are expensive in the long run (i.e. the retail price of a TV set is not its actual price; it’s the retail price + other expenses that come with it, e.g. monthly subscription, electricity, repairs, stress/depression/health damages related to broadcasted information.

#4. They educate for stewardship, not salary or independence: Children learn a lot about balance sheets, taxes, and risk before they learn about cars or fashion. They are not educating their kids to start their own thing. Their children are in the room when deals are made and are being groomed to take over.

Money doesn’t disappear because people are lazy; it disappears because wrong beliefs are passed down to children:

#1. “When you grow up, you’ll have to go and figure out on your own” This only means that every generation has to start from zero, make all the mistakes that come from starting from zero, and burn 20 years learning what the previous generation could have taught in 2. Old Money families do not cut off kids at 18; they onboard them, no room for trial and error. Make the mistakes while you are young; by 18, you are ready.

#2. Old Money families barely throw heavy weddings, fundraiser dinners, house-warming parties, and baby showers. This is for those who want to show off: the middle class and the wealthy.

#3. A cousin or uncle calls with a school fees emergency and has no plan to repay; Old Money families do not flow with that kind of generosity. Yet they have hands in charity foundations and Rotary clubs because that is where they cut deals with the high and mighty. Note: for them, every act of generosity is intentional and only meant to create leverage for wealth creation and protection.

Old Money vs. New Money
This is the face of new money: A man builds a fast-growing business in telecom, real estate or imports; cash flow is strong, the lifestyle is visible, his home is a mansion, and his car number plates are customised. But if the business is founder-dependent, if there is no trust structure, no succession plan, and he is training his children to be self-reliant and not tap into his sweat, that wealth is one generation deep. That’s not an insult; it’s economics: wealth without institutions functional into the unforeseeable future reverts to the mean.

And this is Old Money, right here: A man acquires land/property, incorporates and keeps it within family structures. You see his children’s names tied to tea, coffee, and real estate holdings, simultaneously creating structures that help the business survive political and economic cycles. His properties are held under a family company rather than in individual names. That means his children cannot sell them as personal assets because they belong to the company. This structure helps protect the properties from internal disputes, unauthorised sales, and external claims. It’s a smart way to preserve family wealth for generations.

Build Generational Wealth (Old Money) Now
You do not need a strong surname or an inheritance. Create one and operate it through a system

#1. For every shilling earned, 10% buys an asset first.
#2. Plan a family you build wealth with, not children you pressure into supporting you later. Structure your life so you do not depend on them in old age. You are the parent; responsibility for bringing them into the world sits with you, not the other way round. Children do not owe you for being born, so plan for their future instead of shifting financial expectations onto them. Wealth grows better when each generation builds without being burdened by the previous one.

#3. Separate identity from spending: You are not your car, phone or outfit. You are your balance sheet. Do not post your wealth; let others showcase your business while you stay private.

#4. Build structures early: write simple rules: ‘We do not sell property to fund lifestyle. We borrow against it or rent it. We do not give free money to relatives. We lend them or pay them a wage for work.’

#5. Teach the next one: Train your children to perpetuate your wealth, not to walk away from it.

#6. Think 25-year blocks, not trends.

Ask: Will this matter in 2070? Do not build things that will last or matter only in your lifetime. Compiled by Mwesigwa Joshua

Every morning, we wake up and begin a routine that has become so normal that few of us stop to question it. Before the day fully starts, there are already responsibilities waiting: rent, food, school fees, family needs, business expenses, and personal dreams that require money to become reality.

So, you go to work.

You spend your day working; regardless of what you do, the exchange is the same: you give your time, energy, skills, and knowledge in return for money.

Money has become one of the strongest forces shaping human decisions. It influences where we live, the opportunities we pursue, and the choices we can make.

Yet there is a strange contradiction about money.

You can spend an entire month working for your salary, waiting for that moment when the money finally arrives, only to watch it disappear almost immediately. Rent takes a portion, food takes another, while bills, transport, black tax, and unexpected needs slowly reduce what remains.

The money you sacrificed your time to earn begins moving away from you almost as soon as you receive it. This raises a question: why do we spend so much of our lives chasing something that doesn’t stay with us?

Perhaps the answer is that we misunderstand what money really is.

Money Was Always Meant to Move
Imagine following the journey of your salary after it is deposited into your account.

You pay your rent, and that money becomes income for someone else. You buy food, and your payment supports farmers, suppliers, transporters, shop owners, and workers. You pay school fees, and that money contributes to the salaries of teachers, administrators, and other school staff.

The money leaves you, but it never ends; it continues its journey, passing through different hands, meaning that we do not truly own money but only hold it temporarily. And that, is money.

Let’s look at it like football; it’s all about getting the ball and kicking it to the next person. A player who refuses to pass the ball limits the team. The game is won by movement, cooperation, and knowing when to release the ball.

Money works in the same way.

Many people ask, “How can I keep more money?” But people who understand wealth creation ask, “How can I use money to create more value?”

A business owner spends money to hire employees. Those employees earn salaries and use that income to buy goods and services. The money they spend becomes revenue for other businesses, which then pay suppliers, hire workers, invest, and continue growing. The cycle continues.

Elon Musk once explained: Money is a database for the exchange of goods and services… Money itself does not have power or value on its own. Its value comes from what it allows people to exchange. Imagine you are stranded on a ship wrecked on a remote island, and you have a trillion dollars in a Swiss bank account; it’s worthless. You would rather have a bowl of soup.

Think back, not even that far back, to a time in Africa when food and water didn’t cost a penny other than you tilling your garden and whatnot. You drew water from natural sources and picked your dinner from the garden. No invoice!

Then civilisation dragged economics into our societies, which, according to Lionel Robbins, is the science that studies human behaviour to find ways to make a profit by satisfying the needs related to such behaviour. Lots of English there.

To simplify it, someone smart spots a “want” before the next person does, and turns it into a market.

As a result, society split into classes, and each wanted its needs met a certain way. The middle class and the wealthy didn’t want to fetch water alongside everyone else at the communal well, because the key to success, education, taught them about germs and parasites; they wanted it piped straight into the house, metered, billed monthly. Food moved off the garden bed and into the supermarket, sold by the kilo, same story, over and over. Someone spots a need, packages it, and sells it back to you.

Now here we are again, except this time the fault line isn’t class, or race, or religion. It’s age. For the first time, the world is sorting itself by age more than anything else, and the generation redrawing the whole map right now is Gen Z (born roughly between 1997 and 2012).

Why Are Investors Sitting This One Out?
Here’s what’s different, though. Back in those times, when a shift like this hit consumer culture, investors didn’t hesitate; they jumped in and, splash, made money. This time round, a lot of capital is just err… standing at the edge of the pool, watching and blinking.

Ask an investor why, and you’ll usually get something like “these Gen Zs’ spending is too unpredictable.” Fair enough, on the surface. But I am thinking, and you will agree, it’s less about unpredictability and more about not really getting them. A lot of the hesitation isn’t financial; it’s generational discomfort dressed up as a risk assessment.

And that’s not new either. Every outgoing generation thinks the one coming behind it is a bit reckless. Boomers said it about Gen X. Now it’s happening again.

But set the eye-rolling aside for a second, and there’s a real question sitting underneath it: what if Gen Zs’ rise isn’t something older generation investors should be nervous about, what if it’s the play? Gen Z, famously, doesn’t have much capital of its own. Millennials and the generations above them do. And the creator economy has already shown what’s possible when someone from the older generation creates a platform for the younger generation purely by monetising how younger users behave. The question worth asking now is whether that model scales further: identify what Gen Z needs, package it, meter it, and sell it to them, the same way clean water was once sold to a rising middle class. And I am not even a genius!

How We Got to Gen Z
To understand where the opportunity sits, you have to understand the evolution from one generation to the next. Millennial life mostly followed a script: study hard, get a job, get married, build the home. Do this, and you are Mr Success. For the last decade or so, though, financial advisers have been telling Gen Z to skip most of that and go straight to investing and entrepreneurship instead. Good stuff!

The problem is that investing and building something of your own take exactly the things you can’t shortcut: patience, capital, a stomach for failing a few times before it works. Gen Z is short on all three right now, simply because those things take time to build, and time is the one thing they are economical with. That gap between ambition and profit-making has created a very specific kind of pressure and stress, the stress that comes with waiting for your business to start paying off. And to cope with it, a lot of young people have leaned hard into stress-relief spending, partying, dinners, flights to Dubai, self-care subscriptions, anything that offers a break from the grind.

The irony is that most Gen Zs spend more escaping burnout than they ever spent chasing the goal that caused it. I said I am not a genius, yet I noticed that.

What’s Driving the Gen Z Behaviour
Strip it down, and Gen Zs’ wants cluster around three things: information, freedom (including a chilling idea that marriage is as they observed growing up; daddy beating mummy all night, and mummy putting funny stuff in daddy’s food), and speed, catching a trend before everyone moves on.

Two things are feeding that:

Everyone’s connected to everyone, all the time. Social media broke the geographic barrier on who influences you.

Gen Z grew up watching “study, work, marry, build a house” fail to deliver for the Millennial generation that tried it first, so naturally, they went looking for a different script.

What is Gen Z Actually Buying?
Once you understand the pressure they’re under and the psychology that shapes their needs, the shopping list practically writes itself:

– Attention! (Followers, views, likes, comments)
– The tools (Phones, ring lights)
– Connection (Internet, apps, software)
– Style (Bold and loud clothes, nothing like office wear)
– Lifestyle (Expensive rental apartments beyond budget: “rather sleep hungry but sleep well, even when that sleep is just content”)
– Experiences over ownership (Travel, parties, dating, brunches, boat rides, anything worth sharing with the 100K followers).

Why This Market Is Genuinely Hard to Sell To
And to be fair to our cautious investors, this isn’t an exciting crowd to build for. Why?

#1. Tastes turn over in days, not years. A trend, a whole platform can peak and disappear before you’ve finished your business plan.

#2. A lot of what you see is curated, not real. Most Gen Z’s public lives are built for an audience, making it difficult to distinguish between what they actually want and what they want to be seen wanting.

#3. Huge influence, small wallets. They rent instead of buy, borrow instead of save, and want the expensive look at a price that isn’t expensive at all. China!

#4. They have 500K followers to influence, yet they actually influence only two or three to buy a product; the rest are in the comments doing you-know-what.

#5. They’re not buying the “climb the ladder slowly” story anymore. Having watched Millennials’ struggles, many of them are hunting for faster, less conventional routes to money, for better or worse. I didn’t say they’re selling their goodies, but you know the truth.

How You Actually Sell to Gen Zs
#1. Go cheap, go virtual, win on volume. The margin isn’t the point; the sheer size of the audience is.

#2. Invest straight into the list above, and let Gen Z sell to Gen Z. The second a brand’s marketing looks like it came from someone’s uncle, it’s dead on arrival.

#3. Lean into sexy stuff: lingerie, jewellery, tattoos, fragrance, honest YouTube content on relationships and sexuality; they don’t trust the older generation to give them straight.

#4. Sell the opposite of what their parents bought. A good chunk of Gen Z spending is simply a statement: I am not doing it your way, Mum.

#5. Sell the fantasy, not just the product. Build the asspirational image first: lifestyle, persona, then sell the pieces that complete it.

#6. Invest real money behind AI-driven production. When taste shifts this fast, betting everything on one fixed product line is a losing game. AI-assisted production can read demand almost in real time and adapt, arguably the only model built for a market this restless. In this generation, you can’t afford to rely on one skill alone; it could be outdated tomorrow.

#7. Build spaces that are for them, not aimed at them. Podcasts, vlog communities, events that meet Gen Z on their own terms, not measured against what the generation before them did better. That earns their trust.

Put loans where their interest lies: the creative economy, hackathons, and digital hustles. Help them understand how to turn these spaces into real income streams. Put money in their pockets, and two things happen: they can afford what they demand, and you become the one supplying it. Then they repay the loans that helped create that demand.

And if none of the above has convinced you yet, this should: who carries your business into the next generation, if not Gen Z? They’re the ones who will shape the generation of consumers after them. Ignore their interests, and they won’t relate with you. Give them nothing to talk about, and they won’t talk about it: no posts, no hype, no word of mouth, no second life.

A brand that never earns a place in Gen Z’s world risks dying a quiet death of relevance before it ever gets the chance to be passed down to Gen Alpha.

Compiled by Mwesigwa Joshua

In Apyeta Parish, Lamwo District, maize is still grown, but for 46-year-old farmer Kenneth Akena, it is no longer the only crop he depends on. After years of uncertain returns from maize farming, Akena has added something new to his 3-acre land in Ogili Sub-County: rows of eucalyptus and teak trees meant to build long-term income alongside food production.

Through the IFPA-CD Woodlots Programme implemented by the Environmental Conservation Trust of Uganda (ECOTRUST), Akena planted 672 clonal eucalyptus trees and 672 Tectona grandis (Teak). While maize still occupies part of his farm, the trees now stand as a second line of income, one that grows slowly but is expected to pay more steadily in the years ahead.

“I planted these trees to get timber and poles for income,” Akena says. “People here buy timber at a good price. Before, I was planting only maize, but from what I have learnt, these trees have more return.”

For Akena, the change did not mean abandoning maize. It meant reducing dependence on it. Maize still feeds his household and supports short-term needs, but trees are now his long-term plan for stability.

“I still grow maize,” he says, “but I also wanted something that can support me in the long term.”

Learning a new way of farming

Akena is among hundreds of farmers in Lamwo who were trained under ECOTRUST’s community forestry model. For him, the biggest change came not from the seedlings he received, but from what he learned about how to manage them.

“We were trained on weed management after planting,” he explains. “We learned that weeds compete with tree seedlings for sunlight, water, and nutrients, especially in the first two years.”

Farmers were taught practical methods such as spot weeding and ring weeding, where only the area around each seedling is cleared instead of the whole garden. The idea, according to ECOTRUST, is to reduce labour while protecting young trees during their most vulnerable stage.

They were also trained in safe chemical use, including herbicides for weed control and pesticides such as Tamidoc, used to fight termites that often destroy young seedlings.

For him, these lessons turned tree planting from guesswork into a planned farming system.

According to Denis Emmanuel Oweka, ECOTRUST Regional Coordinator for West Nile and North East, the choice of tree species is based on both science and market demand.

Unlike ordinary eucalyptus that comes from seeds, clonal eucalyptus is artificially developed and grows faster. He says the key difference is time to harvest.

“If a normal eucalyptus takes about seven years, clonal eucalyptus can take between three to five years.”

The difference lies in the root system. While traditional eucalyptus develops deep tap roots, clonal varieties grow lateral roots near the surface, allowing faster absorption of nutrients from decomposing organic matter. This speeds up growth and shortens the rotation period.

This explains why many farmers prefer clonal eucalyptus. It also gives faster returns.

Alongside eucalyptus, farmers also plant Tectona grandis, commonly known as teak or Sudanese teak. Unlike eucalyptus, teak grows slowly but produces high-value timber.

“Tectona takes about 8 to 15 years depending on management,” Oweka says. “But it produces strong, high-quality timber.”

Farming trees as a business. For ECOTRUST and its partners, the message to farmers is that tree growing must be treated as a business, not a side activity.

Steve Amooti Nsita, Director of Technical Services at Havilah Company Ltd, says early results from Lamwo show promise.

“These trees have been good. Most of them are alive,” he says. “But farmers must treat this as a business if they are to benefit.”

He explains that the IFPA-CD Woodlots model is designed for pure tree stands, not mixed cropping.

He added that when trees are mixed with crops, the spacing changes and the number of trees reduces, hence reducing the economic return.

Under the project, farmers follow a 3 by 3 metre spacing, allowing about 450 trees per acre for maximum productivity.

Nsita adds that the benefits go beyond income.

“When you increase vegetation cover, you protect the soil and improve the local climate. The land becomes cooler.”

The hard work behind young forests

One of the most important lessons Akena learned is that trees require close attention, especially in the early years.

He learnt that if weeds are not controlled early, they take water, light, and nutrients from the seedlings, which explains why early management is very important.

Akena, among other farmers, were trained to weed regularly during the first two years using efficient methods like ring weeding to reduce labour while protecting growth.

They were also trained in proper planting techniques such as lining and pitting, which help ensure correct spacing and allow farmers to easily track the number of trees in a garden.

For Akena, this knowledge has changed how he views his farm.

“Now I know how to manage the trees properly,” he says. “Before, I didn’t understand these things.”

The IFPA-CD Woodlots Programme, funded by the World Bank and the Government of Uganda, is being implemented in 19 districts across northern and western Uganda. It aims to establish nearly 10,000 hectares of small-scale commercial woodlots.

For 27 years, ECOTRUST has worked with communities across Uganda to promote sustainable natural resource management, climate resilience, and livelihoods.

What was once a heavily degraded forest in Rwentumba Village, Kimanya Parish, Masindi District, is slowly coming back to life. Thanks to the efforts of the Rwentumba Communal Land Association (CLA) in protecting the Rwentumba community forest while earning an income through modern beekeeping, as supported by The Environmental Conservation Trust of Uganda (ECOTRUST).

The association was formed after communities living around the forest were mobilised and sensitised about the importance of conserving natural forests. Residents were encouraged to work together to restore the degraded forest instead of continuing to clear it for farming (sugarcane plantation).

Today, the community manages about 280 acres of forest, which is named after River Rwentumba, a small tributary that eventually feeds into Lake Albert.

According to Christopher Byamukama, the Project Coordinator of the Rwentumba Communal Land Association, the community understood that restoring the forest would take time, so they needed an activity that could provide income while protecting the environment.

“When we looked at tree planting, we realised the benefits would take many years because trees need 10 to 15 years to mature. We needed something that could give us income earlier while encouraging us to conserve the forest,” said Byamukama.

With support from ECOTRUST through the Mobilising More 4 Climate (MoMo4C), the association explored several livelihood options, including fish farming and tree nurseries. After careful consideration, members chose beekeeping.

“We selected beekeeping because it required less investment, we already had some basic knowledge, and the forest provides plenty of flowers and plants that bees need for food,” Byamukama explained.

The journey started in 2020 when the group received 10 Kenya Top Bar (KTB) beehives and training in modern beekeeping. Although they initially faced challenges with termites destroying the wooden hive stands, additional training helped the farmers improve hive management and protect their equipment.

Later, in 2023, the association received 100 modern Langstroth hives, bringing the total to 110 hives.

Byamukama says the Langstroth hives have greatly improved honey production.

“The Langstroth hives are easier to inspect, easier to harvest, and they produce honey much faster. On average, one hive can produce about 10 kilograms of honey every harvest, and we harvest after every three months,” he said.

ECOTRUST also trained members on proper honey harvesting, processing and storage to ensure the honey meets quality standards.

Instead of using traditional methods that often destroyed bee colonies, farmers now use protective clothing, smokers, and honey extractors to harvest honey safely without harming the bees.

“Everything we are doing today is knowledge we received through the training. We learnt how to manage the bees, harvest clean honey and store it properly to maintain quality,” Byamukama added.

After harvesting, the honey is filtered, packed in clean white jerrycans and stored on raised wooden platforms to prevent moisture from affecting its quality.

The association has also secured a reliable market through a partnership between ECOTRUST and The Hive Limited, which buys the community’s honey and supplies it to consumers.

Umar Buyinza, who works with The Hive Limited, says the partnership has helped farmers move beyond production to accessing a dependable market.

“The partnership started with providing hives, equipment and training. Today, the farmers also have a ready market because they supply their honey to The Hive Limited,” Buyinza said.

Beyond improving household incomes, the project has brought visible environmental benefits. Community members say rainfall has improved, water levels in nearby rivers have increased, and wildlife is gradually returning to the restored forest.

Christopher recalls that restoring the forest required cooperation from many landowners who agreed to give up portions of their land for conservation.

“People understood that conserving the forest would benefit everyone. It was a win-win situation because we restored the forest while still allowing families to use part of their land,” he said.

Today, the Rwentumba Communal Land Association demonstrates that conservation and livelihoods can go hand in hand. By protecting their forest and embracing sustainable beekeeping, the community is creating a healthier environment while building a more secure future for generations to come.

Every year on 12th August, International Youth Day celebrates the pivotal role of young people in building a sustainable future. Through its conservation and climate-smart agriculture programmes, ECOTRUST is actively empowering young farmers with the skills, knowledge, and opportunities needed to excel in agroforestry, sustainable land management, and green livelihoods.

By directly involving youth in restoration initiatives, ECOTRUST is nurturing the next generation of environmental stewards, young leaders who are equipped to protect Uganda’s landscapes while boosting community prosperity and their own livelihoods.

In many parts of Uganda, young people are often focused on quick wins, prioritising short-term jobs, sports, and immediate opportunities. However, in Kikuube District, a new generation is beginning to think differently. With the support of the IFPA-CD project, youth like Kato Nelson Mandela are embracing tree planting not just as an environmental activity, but as a long-term investment in their future.

Mandela, the newly elected Youth Councillor for Kiziranfumbi Sub-County, is one of these young leaders. As he took office in May 2026, he placed environmental conservation, particularly commercial tree planting, at the centre of his vision for community development. For Kato, tree planting is not a side activity; it is for climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods.

“Even though I am young, my fellow youth voted for me as a Councillor because they believe in my ability and capacity to serve them and positively contribute to the development of my community,” Kato says.

His leadership was evident during a recent community engagement organised by NIRAS International Consulting Uganda. In a space largely occupied by older farmers, Kato stood out not just for his age, but for his confidence and clarity of thought. He spoke passionately about the need to balance industrial development with environmental protection.

Kikuube District sits at the heart of Uganda’s emerging oil economy, and with this comes both opportunity and risk. Kato is particularly concerned about the environmental impact of oil extraction and sees tree planting as a practical solution to help mitigate these effects.

“Our district has oil, and when extraction begins, there are fears that emissions could affect air quality. This is why it is important to plant trees to secure our future. Youth participation in this process is crucial,” he explains.

However, despite the opportunities, youth participation in tree-planting initiatives remains low. Challenges such as limited access to land and low awareness continue to hinder their involvement. Kato’s own journey into conservation was shaped by community outreach efforts by the NIRAS International Consulting Uganda and the Environmental Conservation Trust of Uganda (ECOTRUST).

Through this platform, he learned about the IFPA-CDA Woodlot Programme, an initiative that promotes sustainable commercial forestry while supporting farmers with knowledge and resources.

“My desire for tree planting was strengthened by the awareness I got from ECOTRUST. Through their Farmer’s Voice Radio program, I learned more about tree-planting and the IFPA-CDA Woodlot Programme, which I wanted to join,” he says.

Kato has already started planting trees on his own land and sees this as a long-term investment.

“I am lucky to have my own land where I have been growing some trees. With the project, I believe I will be able to plant even more. In the long run, these trees will be a source of income and help me live sustainably in the future,” he adds.

Community leaders have also taken note of his enthusiasm. Lawrence Azoora, the farmer leader of the Kiziranfumbi Farmers’ Community, believes Kato’s example can inspire wider youth participation.

“It is encouraging to see young people take an interest in initiatives like this. Kato’s involvement will motivate other youth to join and encourage parents to make land available to their children for tree planting,” he says.

District officials emphasise that involving young people is not optional; it is essential for the sustainability of such programs.

Wilfred Abitegeka, the Kikuube District Forest Officer, highlights the risks of excluding youth from long-term environmental investments.

“It is very important that youth are involved. If only parents participate, the program will not be sustainable. Without understanding the value of trees, young people may sell land or cut down trees for short-term gain, yet these trees have long-term commercial and environmental benefits,” he explains.

Tree planting is a long-term commitment, often taking over a decade to realise full benefits. This makes it even more important for both parents and young people to work together, ensuring knowledge transfer, shared responsibility, and continuity.

As Kato prepares to step into office, he remains committed to championing youth inclusion in environmental conservation.

“When I assume office, I will advocate for more youth to have access to land for tree planting. We are the ones who will inherit this environment, so we must be the ones to protect it,” he says.

Through these continued efforts to empower communities with knowledge, resources, and sustainable financing models, young leaders like Kato are proving that tree planting is more than just growing trees; it is about growing a generation ready to protect, invest in, and benefit from Uganda’s natural resources.

These initiatives are part of the IFPA-CD Woodlot Programme, a strategic Government of Uganda initiative under the Ministry of Water and Environment, supported by the World Bank, with a core goal of de-risking commercial forestry by transforming tree planting into a viable and sustainable investment for rural households across Uganda.