🌍 Uganda · Est. 2014 · INDR157134925NB
✦ Abridged Strategic Plan
Wilmat
Development
Foundation
Development
Foundation
Building Communities. Transforming Lives.
📋 2026 – 2031 | Abridged Edition
Our Vision
“Building a Community where Women and Youth realize their Full Social, Economic and Civic Potential.”
16,470+
Beneficiaries Reached
4
Regions of Uganda
50,000+
Target by 2031
4
Thematic Areas
✦ From Our Desk
Welcome Message
“
Dear Reader, Partner and Friend of WDF,
It is with great joy and deep purpose that we present the Wilmat Development Foundation Abridged Strategic Plan 2026–2031. This plan is not merely a document it is our collective covenant with the communities we serve: a bold commitment to build on seven years of learning, grow our impact and ensure that every woman and young person in Uganda’s underserved communities has a fair chance to thrive.
In these pages, you will find WDF’s strategic direction, our theory of change, our four thematic pillars and an invitation to walk alongside us. Whether you are a donor, a partner, a community member or simply someone who believes in people-powered development this plan is for you.
Together, we build communities. Together, we change lives.
It is with great joy and deep purpose that we present the Wilmat Development Foundation Abridged Strategic Plan 2026–2031. This plan is not merely a document it is our collective covenant with the communities we serve: a bold commitment to build on seven years of learning, grow our impact and ensure that every woman and young person in Uganda’s underserved communities has a fair chance to thrive.
In these pages, you will find WDF’s strategic direction, our theory of change, our four thematic pillars and an invitation to walk alongside us. Whether you are a donor, a partner, a community member or simply someone who believes in people-powered development this plan is for you.
Together, we build communities. Together, we change lives.
Ms. Sophie Kange
Board Chairperson, Wilmat Development Foundation
✦ About Us
Who We Are
Wilmat Development Foundation (WDF) is a Youth-Powered Indigenous NGO founded in Uganda that was founded on the notion of preventing and responding to the vulnerabilities faced by Women and Youth in the community. WDF is registered under URSB No. 80020001599969 and NGO Bureau No. INDR157134925NB, WDF operates in Central, Eastern, Rwenzori, Westnile and Karamoja regions, delivering Low-Cost, High-Impact community-led programmes for women and youth.
👁️
Vision
Building a Community where Women and Youth realize their Full Social, Economic and Civic Potential.
🎯
Mission
Fostering Community Cooperation and Independence of Underserved Women and Youth to enable them initiate and manage Community-driven Socio-Economic and Development Processes.
🤝 Integrity
👥 Teamwork
🙋 People Participation
📊 Result Oriented
❤️ Humanity
🌿 Community-Led
🔬 Evidence-Based
16,470+
Lives Touched Since 2017
15+
Districts Targeted by 2031
200+
Farmer Field Schools Planned
5,000+
Women & Youth to be Economically Empowered
✦ Why Now? Why This?
Rationale for Our New Strategic Direction
Building on Seven Years of Learning
Since 2017, WDF has delivered proven models; CLD, Bikasave VSLAs, Tulime FFS, Maisha Mzuri Skilling and Twogere GBV prevention. This plan scales what works.
Uganda’s Persistent Development Gaps
64% youth unemployment, 41% below poverty line, Gender Gap Index rank 119/146 the need for community-led solutions is more urgent than ever.
Rising Gender Backlash
Gains in women’s rights face growing resistance. WDF must move from gender mainstreaming to genuinely transformative, community-rooted gender justice.
Climate Crisis at Community Level
Uganda loses 3.5% GDP annually to climate shocks. WDF launches UGReporter for early warning and deepens Climate-Smart Agriculture as a Transformation Strategy.
Shifting Donor Landscape
Funding priorities have shifted across the globe. WDF will launch BIOT Organics Innovations and the Wilmat Skilling Facility as social enterprises for financial sustainability.
Youth Voice in Governance
78% of Uganda is under 30, yet youth are excluded from budget processes. WDF launches the National Youth Budget Conference (NYBC) as a civic change platform.
✦ Our Direction
WDF’s Strategic Focus & Objectives
- 🌾01Livelihoods & Socio-Economic TransformationScale FFS, VSLAs, vocational skilling, BIOT Organics Innovations and Wilmat Skilling Facility to create sustainable income pathways for women and youth.
- 💧02Healthier & Safer CommunitiesDeliver WaSH, Peacebuilding, Climate action, Hhumanitarian response and UGReporter early warning towards building resilient, safe communities.
- ⚖️03Gender Justice & Accountability StrengtheningAdvance GBV prevention, women’s land rights, and youth civic voice through the NYBC, Youth Hive, community budget dialogues and safe spaces.
- 🏛️04Institutional Capacity StrengtheningBuild a resilient, well-governed, financially sustainable WDF with diversified income, strong MEAL systems and thriving social enterprises.
✦ Issues That Run Through Everything
Cross-Cutting Issues
♀️
Gender Equality & Inclusion
All WDF programmes apply a gender-transformative lens challenging structural inequalities, not just including women as beneficiaries.
🌡️
Climate Change & Environment
Climate adaptation and environmental sustainability are integrated into agriculture, WaSH and community planning across all areas.
📱
Digital Integration & ICT4D
ODK/KoboCollect data tools, UGReporter.org early warning, VSLA digital records and social media advocacy embedded throughout programming.
🤝
Human Rights-Based Approach
WDF programmes frame development as a matter of rights, not charity, empowering communities to claim entitlements from duty bearers.
🌍
Displacement & Conflict Sensitivity
Do No Harm principles applied in all areas; WDF ensures displaced and host communities are served equitably and without exacerbating tensions.
🏠
Unpaid Care Work
WDF recognizes care burdens as a structural barrier to women’s empowerment and advocates for care infrastructure at household and policy level.
✦ What We Do
Our Four Thematic Areas
🌾
THEMATIC AREA 1
Livelihoods & Socio-Economic Transformation
- ◆Climate-Smart Agriculture & Farmer Field Schools
- ◆Vocational Skilling — Wilmat Skilling Facility
- ◆VSLA Modelling (Bikasave)
- ◆SME Support & Social Enterprise
- ◆BIOT Organics Innovations (Agro-Processing)
💧
THEMATIC AREA 2
Healthier & Safer Communities
- ◆WaSH Infrastructure & Hygiene Promotion
- ◆Peace Committees & Early Warning Systems
- ◆Climate Action & Contingency Planning
- ◆UGReporter Community Reporting Platform
- ◆Humanitarian Rapid Response Capacity
⚖️
THEMATIC AREA 3
Gender Justice & Accountability
- ◆National Youth Budget Conference (NYBC)
- ◆Youth Hive (with Development partners)
- ◆GBV/VAC Prevention — Twogere United Model
- ◆Women’s Safe Spaces & Survivor Support
- ◆Land Rights & Natural Resource Management
🏛️
THEMATIC AREA 4
Institutional Capacity Strengthening
- ◆Finance Systems & Governance Strengthening
- ◆MEAL & Knowledge Management Systems
- ◆Income Diversification & Resource Mobilization
- ◆BIOT Organics & Wilmat Skilling Facility
- ◆Community Structures & Strategic Networking
✦ How We Work
Our Core Guiding Principles
Community-Led Development (CLD)
Communities are not beneficiaries they are drivers. WDF invests in community agency, ownership and self-management as the foundation of all programming.
Gender-Transformative Approach
We address the root causes of gender inequality not symptoms. We challenge power structures and engage men and boys as allies for change.
Evidence-Based & Learning-Centred
Every programme is guided by data, evaluated rigorously and adapted based on evidence. UGReporter and ODK tools embed real-time learning.
Transformative Partnerships
Beyond NGOs, WDF partners with artists, digital influencers, religious leaders, social movements and the private sector to drive systemic change.
Low-Cost, High-Impact
WDF leverages local resources, knowledge and leadership to maximize impact per shilling invested making development accessible and scalable.
Safeguarding & Do No Harm
Zero tolerance for exploitation or abuse. All staff, partners and volunteers uphold WDF’s safeguarding policy. Community feedback mechanisms are mandatory.
✦ Strategic Objectives
SO 1: Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment
🌾
Thematic Area 1 · Strategic Objective
To improve sustainable livelihoods, food security and economic opportunity for women, youth and vulnerable households
📌 Strategic Objective
By 2031, WDF will have supported 200+ Farmer Field Schools, 150+ VSLAs, established BIOT Organics Innovations and the Wilmat Skilling Facility as commercially viable social enterprises creating tangible economic change for 5,000+ women and youth.
🛠 Strategic Actions
- ◆Scale Tulime Farmer Field Schools to 200 groups across 15 districts
- ◆Establish 150 Bikasave VSLA groups with 70%+ female membership
- ◆Deliver accredited vocational training via Wilmat Skilling Facility
- ◆Scale BIOT Organics Innovations: coffee, groundnut paste, soap production, e.t.c
- ◆Link graduates to markets, SACCOs and financial services
- ◆Pursue strategic partnership in favor of our focus areas
🎯 Projected Impact
- ✅5,000+ women economically empowered
- ✅200+ FFS groups functioning independently
- ✅150+ VSLA groups with digital record systems
- ✅UGX 300M+ enterprise revenue by 2028
- ✅3,000+ youth skilled and job-ready
- ✅Reduced household food insecurity
✦ Strategic Objectives
SO 2: Healthier & Safer Communities
💧
Thematic Area 2 · Strategic Objective
To strengthen access to WaSH, build climate and conflict resilience and deploy digital early warning across WDF communities
📌 Strategic Objective
By 2031, WDF will have deployed UGReporter.org across all operational districts, established 30+ Community Peace Committees, achieved ODF status in target communities and built climate-resilient households through CSA and contingency planning.
🛠 Strategic Actions
- ◆Construct/rehabilitate water points and train Water User Committees
- ◆Implement CLTS for Open Defecation-Free communities
- ◆Establish 30+ Community Peace Committees with EW/ER systems
- ◆Scale UGReporter to all WDF districts (2–3 reporters/community)
- ◆Train Climate Change Adaptation Champions (2 per community)
- ◆Activate Uganda partnership for humanitarian response
🎯 Projected Impact
- ✅Improved safe water access for target communities
- ✅ODF status achieved in target villages
- ✅30+ Peace Committees functioning independently
- ✅UGReporter covering all WDF districts
- ✅Faster humanitarian response to community crises
- ✅Climate-adapted farming in all FFS communities
✦ Strategic Objectives
SO 3: Gender Justice & Accountability
⚖️
Thematic Area 3 · Strategic Objective
To dismantle structural barriers to gender equality and amplify women’s and youth voices in governance and decision-making
📌 Strategic Objective
By 2031, WDF will have mobilized 10,000+ youth in civic engagement through the NYBC and Youth Hive, scaled the Twogere GBV/VAC prevention model to 15 new communities, and ensured women access land rights and legal protection across WDF’s operational areas.
🛠 Strategic Actions
- ◆Host annual National Youth Budget Conference (300–500 delegates)
- ◆Co-organise Youth Hive strategic partners
- ◆Scale Twogere GBVVAC prevention model to 15 new communities
- ◆Establish 45 Women & Youth Safe Spaces
- ◆Train Community Land Rights Paralegals (2 per community)
- ◆Conduct community budget dialogues to feed NYBC advocacy
🎯 Projected Impact
- ✅10,000+ youth engaged in civic processes
- ✅Reduced GBV incidence in target communities
- ✅Women’s land titles secured in target areas
- ✅Youth-generated evidence influencing national budgets
- ✅45 Safe Spaces operational by 2031
- ✅Male allies championing gender equality
✦ Strategic Objectives
SO 4: Institutional Capacity & Sustainability
🏛️
Thematic Area 4 · Strategic Objective
To build a resilient, well-governed, financially sustainable WDF with diversified income and high-performing systems
📌 Strategic Objective
By 2031, WDF will maintain clean annual external audits, generate 15%+ of income from social enterprises, have a diversified donor portfolio across RDK, EU, GIZ, FCDO, Irish Aid, Mastercard Foundation and UN agencies and operate a full MEAL system with ODK/KoboCollect and a public Knowledge Hub.
🛠 Strategic Actions
- ◆Implement QuickBooks/Sage financial management software
- ◆Deploy full MEAL Framework with ODK/KoboCollect (Q2 2026)
- ◆Scale BIOT Organics Innovations to commercial export readiness
- ◆Expand Wilmat Skilling Facility — additional hubs across Uganda
- ◆Pursue RDK, EU, GIZ, FCDO, Irish Aid, Norwegian, OXFAM, UN Agencies and funding streams (National & International).
- ◆Launch WDF Knowledge Hub on wdfug.org
🎯 Projected Impact
- ✅Clean audits every year of the strategic period
- ✅15%+ income from social enterprises by 2031
- ✅Diversified donor base (no single donor >40%)
- ✅100% MEAL reporting across all programmes
- ✅WDF recognized as a national thought leader
- ✅3+ new training hubs under Wilmat Skilling
✦ Our Logic of Change
Theory of Change
🔄 WDF’s Theory of Change 2026–2031
From Root Causes → Investments → Enabling Conditions → Outcomes → Lasting Impact
1
🔴 Root Causes
The problems WDF addresses:
Poverty & unemployment Gender inequality & GBV/VAC Food insecurity & Malnutrition Limited Civic Voice Climate vulnerability Weak community governance Exclusion from financial services Rights violations
↓
2
🟢 IF WDF Invests In…
FFS & CSA · Nutrition & Biodiversity · Wilmat Skilling Facility · BIOT Organics Innovations · Bikasave VSLAs · WaSH Infrastructure · Peace Committees · UGReporter Early Warning · National Youth Budget Conference · GBV/VAC Prevention & Safe Spaces · Land Rights Paralegals · MEAL Systems · Social Enterprise Revenue
↓
3
🔵 AND IF Enabled By…
✅ Community ownership & leadership ✅ Supportive government policy ✅ Diversified donor financing ✅ Strong WDF governance & systems ✅ Strategic CSO & private sector partnerships ✅ Digital tools & data systems
↓
4
🟣 THEN We Achieve…
💰 Economic empowerment: increased household income, business growth, food security
🛡️ Safer, resilient communities: clean water, peace, climate-adapted households, rapid alerts
♀️ Gender justice: reduced GBV, women own land, youth shape public budgets
🏛️ Accountable systems: self-governing community structures, responsive governments
🛡️ Safer, resilient communities: clean water, peace, climate-adapted households, rapid alerts
♀️ Gender justice: reduced GBV, women own land, youth shape public budgets
🏛️ Accountable systems: self-governing community structures, responsive governments
↓
5
⭐ Long-Term Impact
“Building a Community where Women and Youth realize their Full Social, Economic and Civic Potential.”
WDF communities lead their own development free from poverty, violence and exclusion as agents of sustainable change.
WDF communities lead their own development free from poverty, violence and exclusion as agents of sustainable change.
✦ Join the Movement
Call to Action
✦ Be Part of the Change
Every Community
Deserves a Champion.
Will You Be One?
Deserves a Champion.
Will You Be One?
WDF is building communities where women lead, youth thrive, farms flourish and rights are upheld one village at a time. We cannot do this alone. Every partnership, every grant, every voice raised in solidarity multiplies our impact. This is your invitation to walk alongside us.
Fund Our Work
Support WDF’s programmes through grants, donations or CSR partnerships. Every shilling reaches communities directly.
Partner With Us
Join WDF as an implementation, technical or advocacy partner. Bring your expertise. Together we go further.
Amplify Our Voice
Share WDF’s story. Attend the NYBC. Follow us. Advocate alongside us for gender-just, climate-smart communities.
wdfug.org · ugreporter.org
info@wdfug.org
+256 (0) 200 991 245
P.O.BOX 139134, Kampala, Uganda
🌿
Wilmat Development Foundation
…together we build communities that thrive
✦ Our Vision
“Building a Community where Women and Youth realize their Full Social, Economic and Civic Potential.”
2014
Founded
4
Regions
16K+
Lives Touched
2031
Strategic Horizon
wdfug.org
🌐 ugreporter.org
info@wdfug.org
+256 393 224 664
📞 +256 701 989 215
P.O.BOX, 139134, Kampala, Uganda
REGISTERED: URSB 80020001599969 · NGO BUREAU INDR157134925NB
