Social entrepreneur and former “white saviour” Andrea Kazindra is urging British charities working overseas to rethink their fundraising methods and stop relying on Western donations. Kazindra and her husband Haril, founders of community development NGO Musana, will be meeting with charities, foundations, business leaders, and politicians in London on May 27 to discuss their successful model of sustainability and empowerment in Uganda.
Musana currently runs 19 social enterprises including schools, hospitals, and hotels in Uganda, impacting close to 100,000 people per year and employing 700 staff. Their unique approach of seeking donations for set-up and building costs, but not relying on Western money for their operating budget, has allowed them to not only be self-sustainable but also profitable. This eliminates the dependency on Western donors and empowers locals to be entrepreneurial, which Kazindra believes is the key to long-term sustainability and innovation.
“I used to be a ‘white saviour’ and thought the answer lied with me, but I was so wrong,” Kazindra admits. “For charities, 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 more than £3 million, and £400k of that is profitable which can then be invested back into the community.”
Kazindra believes that many of the methods NGOs currently use are outdated and in need of a rethink. She and her husband are excited to share their insights at the “From Aid to Enterprise” event at the Conduit in Covent Garden on May 27. This event follows their trip to Parliament last year where they challenged MPs on government aid. The couple is looking forward to returning to the UK and sharing their successful model with others.
To register for the free event or to learn more about Musana, visit their website.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.