Our Values & Policies
Uganda Cares convention network is committed to acting with integrity in our work and in our relationships. We seek to uphold our values in all that we do, and strive to operate with transparency and accountability; we ask that our community do likewise.
Our Values
Unity in Purpose and Collaborative Action
Unity in purpose drives the conviction that collective action united in bonds of friendship and mutual understanding accomplishes far more than fragmented individual efforts. Uganda faces substantial development challenges that no single organization, however well-resourced or capable, can address alone. Progress requires coordination across sectors, with government providing policy frameworks and public infrastructure, business generating economic opportunity and employment, civil society delivering specialized services and advocacy, and communities providing local knowledge and grassroots implementation.
This commitment to unity manifests in programmatic decisions that prioritize collaboration over competition. The organization actively connects partner organizations working in similar areas rather than viewing them as competitors for resources or recognition. Learning, tools, and contacts are shared freely rather than hoarding organizational knowledge. Other organizations' successes are celebrated rather than viewed as diminishing importance. Programs are designed to require multi-stakeholder participation rather than attempting to do everything independently
This commitment to unity manifests in programmatic decisions that prioritize collaboration over competition. The organization actively connects partner organizations working in similar areas rather than viewing them as competitors for resources or recognition. Learning, tools, and contacts are shared freely rather than hoarding organizational knowledge. Other organizations' successes are celebrated rather than viewed as diminishing importance. Programs are designed to require multi-stakeholder participation rather than attempting to do everything independently
Spiritual Foundation
The organization's spiritual foundation recognizes that compassionate service to others honors divine calling and reflects spiritual commitment to human dignity. This foundation does not impose religious requirements on beneficiaries, partners, or participants, but rather informs organizational culture and the motivation that drives the work. Charitable service is understood as spiritual practice that reflects commitment to care for creation, particularly those facing greatest vulnerability.
This spiritual grounding provides resilience during challenges, humility in success, and constant reminder that the work serves purposes beyond organizational advancement. It manifests in how people are treated, recognizing every individual as possessing inherent dignity regardless of circumstances. It shapes commitment to serving without expectation of recognition or reward, understanding that the opportunity to serve constitutes its own blessing.
This spiritual grounding provides resilience during challenges, humility in success, and constant reminder that the work serves purposes beyond organizational advancement. It manifests in how people are treated, recognizing every individual as possessing inherent dignity regardless of circumstances. It shapes commitment to serving without expectation of recognition or reward, understanding that the opportunity to serve constitutes its own blessing.
Non-Discrimination and Radical Inclusion
Non-discrimination ensures equal opportunity and full inclusion regardless of race, color, religion, gender identity, or disability, welcoming all Ugandans into the movement for community transformation. Uganda's diversity across ethnic groups, religious traditions, linguistic communities, and geographic regions constitutes national strength when celebrated and honored, or source of division and conflict when differences become basis for exclusion or discrimination.
This commitment to inclusion requires active attention rather than passive non-discrimination. The network deliberately seeks representation across differences in governance structures, program design, communications, and partnership development. Programs are examined to ensure they serve all communities rather than inadvertently excluding particular groups through location, language, cultural assumptions, or accessibility barriers. Multiple pathways for participation are created recognizing that one-size-fits-all approaches inevitably exclude those whose circumstances differ from assumed norms.
This commitment to inclusion requires active attention rather than passive non-discrimination. The network deliberately seeks representation across differences in governance structures, program design, communications, and partnership development. Programs are examined to ensure they serve all communities rather than inadvertently excluding particular groups through location, language, cultural assumptions, or accessibility barriers. Multiple pathways for participation are created recognizing that one-size-fits-all approaches inevitably exclude those whose circumstances differ from assumed norms.
Transparency and Accountability as Trust Foundation
Transparency and accountability manifest through open documentation of all activities, honest sharing of results including both successes and challenges with stakeholders, and systematic learning from experience. Trust, once lost, proves difficult to regain, and transparency constitutes the foundation of sustained trust relationships with donors, partners, beneficiaries, and the public.
Transparency extends beyond financial reporting to include honest communication about challenges encountered, mistakes made, and lessons learned. Documentation covers not only what worked well but also what proved less effective than hoped, recognizing that acknowledging difficulties builds rather than undermines credibility when paired with evidence of learning and adaptation. Impact data is published even when results fall short of targets, explaining variances and describing corrective actions.
Accountability includes willingness to be held to account by those served, not only by those who fund the work. Mechanisms exist for beneficiaries to provide feedback, register complaints, and hold the organization accountable for commitments made. Critical feedback is treated as gift that enables improvement rather than threat to be managed or suppressed
Transparency extends beyond financial reporting to include honest communication about challenges encountered, mistakes made, and lessons learned. Documentation covers not only what worked well but also what proved less effective than hoped, recognizing that acknowledging difficulties builds rather than undermines credibility when paired with evidence of learning and adaptation. Impact data is published even when results fall short of targets, explaining variances and describing corrective actions.
Accountability includes willingness to be held to account by those served, not only by those who fund the work. Mechanisms exist for beneficiaries to provide feedback, register complaints, and hold the organization accountable for commitments made. Critical feedback is treated as gift that enables improvement rather than threat to be managed or suppressed
Excellence and Quality as Demonstration of Respect
High quality standards make excellence in all services a non-negotiable priority and organizing principle, recognizing that community members deserve the same professionalism in charitable services that they would expect in commercial transactions. The charitable nature of the work does not excuse inadequate implementation, disorganized events, unprofessional communications, or insufficient follow-through.
Excellence manifests in careful planning that anticipates challenges and prepares contingencies, professional execution that respects participants' time and dignity, appropriate quality control ensuring that supplies and services meet reasonable standards, competent staff and volunteers who receive adequate training and support, and systematic evaluation that assesses quality alongside quantity.
Excellence manifests in careful planning that anticipates challenges and prepares contingencies, professional execution that respects participants' time and dignity, appropriate quality control ensuring that supplies and services meet reasonable standards, competent staff and volunteers who receive adequate training and support, and systematic evaluation that assesses quality alongside quantity.
Joy and Celebration in Service
Celebration and joy infuse the approach to charitable work with positivity, gratitude, and appreciation for what can be accomplished together, transforming service from obligation into joyful expression of shared humanity. While poverty, illness, and injustice that motivate the work are serious matters deserving sober attention, effective charitable work need not be characterized by grimness, guilt, or constant emphasis on suffering.
The Festival exemplifies this commitment to celebration, transforming what could be merely another conference or networking event into genuine community celebration characterized by music, laughter, cultural pride, and collective joy. This celebratory approach attracts broader participation by presenting charitable engagement as enjoyable rather than burdensome, sustains volunteer commitment by ensuring that service provides not only moral satisfaction but also genuine pleasure, and builds positive associations between giving and happiness that encourage continued generosity
The Festival exemplifies this commitment to celebration, transforming what could be merely another conference or networking event into genuine community celebration characterized by music, laughter, cultural pride, and collective joy. This celebratory approach attracts broader participation by presenting charitable engagement as enjoyable rather than burdensome, sustains volunteer commitment by ensuring that service provides not only moral satisfaction but also genuine pleasure, and builds positive associations between giving and happiness that encourage continued generosity
Impact Focus and Evidence-Based Practice
Impact focus ensures every activity is designed to create measurable, meaningful change in communities rather than serving organizational self-interest or generating publicity without substance. Good intentions, while necessary, prove insufficient for justifying continued investment of scarce charitable resources. Programs must demonstrate that they actually improve lives and communities, not merely that they implement planned activities or generate positive feelings among participants.
Evidence-based practice means allowing data and experience to inform decisions rather than relying solely on assumptions, tradition, or ideology. When programs fail to achieve intended results, examination occurs regarding why rather than simply trying harder at the same approach. When unexpected outcomes emerge, causes are investigated rather than dismissing surprises as anomalies. When multiple approaches to similar problems produce different results, contexts and implementation factors are analyzed
Evidence-based practice means allowing data and experience to inform decisions rather than relying solely on assumptions, tradition, or ideology. When programs fail to achieve intended results, examination occurs regarding why rather than simply trying harder at the same approach. When unexpected outcomes emerge, causes are investigated rather than dismissing surprises as anomalies. When multiple approaches to similar problems produce different results, contexts and implementation factors are analyzed
Collaboration Over Competition and Abundance Mentality
Collaboration over competition encourages organizations to work together, share resources and insights, and amplify each other's efforts rather than viewing philanthropy as zero-sum competition where one organization's success requires another's diminishment. This collaborative stance reflects both practical recognition that coordination achieves more than duplication and philosophical commitment to abundance mentality rather than scarcity thinking.
Sufficient resources, talent, and goodwill exist to address Uganda's challenges if effectively mobilized and coordinated, and energy spent competing for market share could be better directed toward expanding overall philanthropic investment and impact. Collaborative achievements are celebrated, credit is shared generously, partners are recognized publicly and substantively, and programs are designed to require collaboration.
Sufficient resources, talent, and goodwill exist to address Uganda's challenges if effectively mobilized and coordinated, and energy spent competing for market share could be better directed toward expanding overall philanthropic investment and impact. Collaborative achievements are celebrated, credit is shared generously, partners are recognized publicly and substantively, and programs are designed to require collaboration.
Community Ownership and Local Leadership
Community ownership embodies the conviction that Uganda Cares belongs to all Ugandans and thrives on grassroots participation and leadership rather than external control or top-down direction. The organization exists to serve communities, not to build organizational empire or advance careers of particular individuals. Success means strengthening communities' capacity to address their own challenges with decreasing external support, even if that means reducing organizational profile.
This commitment requires constant vigilance, as tendencies toward organizational self-interest prove persistent. Regular examination occurs regarding whether programs truly serve community needs or primarily serve organizational needs for funding, visibility, or program expansion. Governance structures privilege community voice in decision-making. Programs include explicit exit strategies and timelines for transitioning leadership to communities.
This commitment requires constant vigilance, as tendencies toward organizational self-interest prove persistent. Regular examination occurs regarding whether programs truly serve community needs or primarily serve organizational needs for funding, visibility, or program expansion. Governance structures privilege community voice in decision-making. Programs include explicit exit strategies and timelines for transitioning leadership to communities.