Theory of Change
We work in Uganda to support refugee women-led businesses and build refugee SMEs through enhanced access to finance, funding, and business financial literacy programs. Our goal is to reach 10,000 refugee women-led businesses and build 100 refugee small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by 2035, as we believe that refugee self-reliance is impossible without access to affordable, flexible, and sustainable business financing.
What we do at KUZA
Redefining access to finance & funding
Kuza Refugee Business Platform is transforming access to finance and funding for refugee women-led businesses.
We conduct market research in refugee settlements in Uganda to build SMEs that produce and supply goods and services for refugees.
Our work is to redefine access to finance and funding for refugee businesses. We’re taking risks because we understand the environment we operate in and take bolder steps that enhance real refugee self-reliance. We are breaking the barriers with a new approach to refugee businesses.
Building a powerful framework for financial access and sustainability
Market Research
We do carry out market research and business assessments to inform the status of businesses and markets.
Business Building
We depend on our market research and design financial products for refugee women businesses and SMEs for production and supply of goods and services.
Financing
We mobilize resources to fund and finance the development of refugee women's businesses and SMEs in refugee settings in Uganda.
Our model is based on uplifting refugee women-led businesses within a given locality that share social and economic challenges and opportunities, can identify each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and have local ties to the particular locality.
For refugee women-led business financing, we require community financial business group membership as security. We do not encourage business start-up. We support refugee businesses that are already established, as we believe that self-starting is crucial to our approach. We exist to support scale-up and sustainability.
Our women clients are registered refugees and host communities’ women and entrepreneurs operating businesses and have interest in expanding them. They have a business connection to the local area and can identify likeminded members to enter into a business financing group arrangement where they apply for financing together and pay together.
We receive applications from groups, evaluate them collectively, and make decisions based on group merit rather than individual merit. We require periodic installment payments from groups at no interest.
KUZA is leveraging mobile technology and innovative financing models to reach out to refugee women in business and finance them to scale. This is to ensure gender equality and equity, create jobs, and enable access to finance for businesses that would not be considered fundable in the current business financing models operated by traditional banks and microfinancing institutions.
We use market research for small and medium-sized businesses to pinpoint underserved sectors in Ugandan displacement settings, then mobilize resources to establish and manage businesses that provide goods and services to refugees.
REBU Model
Building SMEs: An ambitious and unique approach
Because we know that microbusinesses cannot create sustainable jobs and generate meaningful profits, we invest in three areas: market assessment and research, fundraising, and SMEs establishment.
Muhabura Phase
Our market assessment and research teams visit refugee settlements in Uganda and carry out market research to identify business opportunities and sectors where there is a critical need for supply of goods and services.
Wagagai Phase
Our research and market assessment teams inform our business proposals, which aim to bridge the supply gap for the identified goods and services in the settlements. After formulating projects, we raise funds to implement the identified projects, which aim to create jobs and facilitate easy market access for the goods and services.
Margherita Phase
In case we find a funder or impact investor willing to invest in our business proposals, we establish businesses with the potential to employ 20–50 youth from refugees and host communities.
We are thinking big and non-traditional.
Our aim is to establish small enterprises or medium enterprises given the market size. Small enterprises are those that employ between 5 and 50 refugee employees and achieve annual turnover or total asset value reaching approximately US$100,000 in value. Whereas medium enterprises are those that employ between 51 and 100 refugee employees with an annual turnover and total assets valued at US$100,000 to US$800,000.
Humanitarian response thinking has long prioritized handouts worth millions of dollars over the creation of sustainable jobs and the production of goods and services.
The refugee and host communities have high demand for certain critically underserved sectors. These include alternative agricultural sectors apart from cultivation, clean energy, and other goods and services sectors. We are exploring how to supply them through our market research.
We’re defined by four best practices
In summary, we are supporting long-term refugee business growth responsibly.
Accessible
We offer business financing that is equitable and inclusive, especially to underserved businesses like those started and led by women. We offer them Interest free financing opportunities with no barriers, and we also offer supportive business financial literacy services.
Flexible
We adapt our financial terms, structures, and options to meet the unique and challenging needs of businesses in refugee settings.
Tailored
We offer customized financial solutions designed to meet the specific needs, challenges, and circumstances of refugee businessmen and women. We offer these businesses services that address barriers such as limited credit history, lack of collateral, and socio-economic constraints unique to their contexts.
Sustainable
We provide financial resources in a way that supports long-term business viability and growth.