Astute strategists announce social enterprise awards

Astute Strategists, a Social Enterprise and NGO consultancy firm, has announced the launch of the 2024 Social Enterprise Awards.

The event will take place on December 13, 2024, at Protea Hotel in Kampala, Uganda.

The revolutionary initiative aims to acknowledge and honor the exceptional efforts of social enterprises and NGOs in Uganda's social sector.

According to the organisers, the primary objective is to recognize, celebrate, and empower outstanding social impact initiatives in Uganda, providing a platform for Social Enterprises and NGOs to showcase their achievements, share knowledge, and network while inspiring excellence, leadership, innovation, and sustainability to drive positive change and address pressing social challenges.

The outstanding local NGOs and Social Enterprises in Uganda will be nominated and later voted for to determine the winners.

Each deserving recipient will receive an award recognizing their exceptional work and commitment to creating social impact.

The different Award categories for the Social Enterprise Awards 2024 include the Local NGO of the Year Award, Environmental Social Enterprise of the Year Award, Agricultural Social Enterprise of the Year Award, and the Social Enterprise of the Year Award, among others.

Speaking about the initiative launch, Timothy Mugerwa, the CEO and Chief Consultant of Astute Strategists, said that the program will help amplify the voices and work of African Social Enterprises and NGOs.

"As African leaders in social entrepreneurship, we have not fully committed to developing and maintaining our own awards programs to recognize and celebrate the achievements of our own social enterprises and NGOs. Instead, we rely on external organizations, which may not fully understand the unique challenges and opportunities of African social entrepreneurship, to host award ceremonies."

Mr. Mugerwa mentioned that the few social enterprises and NGOs that are internationally recognized gain a significant advantage, including access to funding and networking opportunities, which creates a wide gap between them and the unrecognized organizations.

He added that the initiative aligns with Astute Strategists’ ultimate vision of revolutionizing social entrepreneurship in Africa.