The Road That Brought Us Here
Every milestone represents real people, real communities, and real change. Scroll through the chapters of our story.
Responding to a Community Crisis
In response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in his village, the late Cosma began supporting orphaned and vulnerable children—providing school fees, basic needs, and mentorship. What started with 16 children, laid the foundation for a long-term commitment to education and community support.
Continuity of Purpose
Following Cosma’s passing, leadership of the initiative was taken on by his son, Charles Nsambya Bakaluba, who continued and strengthened the work – ensuring that the children remained supported and the mission endured.
Formalizing the Initiative
The initiative was registered as a Community-Based Organization (CBO) under the name Cosma Foundation, formalizing its work and expanding education support to more vulnerable children. As COSMA formalized its work as a Community-Based Organization, George William Mugenyi joined the initiative, strengthening organizational structure and bringing valuable development experience. His contribution deepened the understanding of barriers to education within the community, and informed future program direction. This period laid the groundwork for COSMA’s shift toward community-driven development approaches that place communities at the center of their own development.
Addressing the Root Cause: Introducing Agriculture
Through years of working with vulnerable children, COSMA identified a critical challenge: household poverty was the primary driver of school dropout. In response, the Agricultural Program was introduced to strengthen incomes among smallholder farming households, reducing their reliance on external support for their children’s education.
Transition to an NGO
COSMA Sustainable Rural Development was officially registered as a non-governmental organization, enabling the expansion of its programs beyond the founding community and strengthening its institutional capacity.
Expanding Access to Agricultural Finance
COSMA partnered with the Microfinance Support Centre to expand access to affordable agricultural financing for smallholder farmers in Ssembabule District. This partnership enabled farmers to access capital for inputs and farm investments – reducing financial barriers and strengthening their ability to increase productivity and income.
Strategic Learning and Repositioning
Participating in the Collaborative Learning Initiative (CLI) by the Issroff Family Foundation (IFF) led to a comprehensive review of COSMA’s programs. This process strengthened the organization’s focus on community-driven development, systems thinking, and long-term sustainability.
Strengthening Agricultural Systems Through Strategic Partnerships
COSMA partnered with the African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP) and Export Trading Group (ETG) to strengthen agricultural production systems. Through these partnerships, COSMA established demonstration farms for practical learning and improved farmer access to quality agro-inputs enhancing productivity, cclimate-smart agricultural knowledge transfer, and overall farm performance.
Evolving the Education Model
Building on years of experience, COSMA redesigned its education program – transitioning from a traditional child sponsorship model to the Enterprise-to-Education (E2E) Model. This major shift marked a move toward an integrated, household-centered solution that empowers families to sustainably finance their children’s education in the long run.
Our Guiding Values
Sustainability
We design and implement programs that strengthen long-term self-reliance, environmental stewardship, and economic resilience. Our focus is on solutions that communities can sustain beyond external support.
Accountability
We uphold transparency, integrity, and responsibility in all our actions. We continuously measure, report, and communicate results to our communities, partners, and stakeholders with honesty and clarity.
Empowerment
We believe communities have the capacity to transform their own futures. We equip individuals with practical skills, knowledge, and resources to break cycles of dependency and drive their own development.
Community Ownership
We ensure that communities are not just beneficiaries but active drivers of their development processes through participatory planning and cooperative structures.
The Next Chapter
Our story is still being written. Here is what we are working towards in the years ahead — bold goals anchored in the same community-first approach that has always defined us.
Download Strategic PlanStrategic goals will appear here after they are added by the webadmin.
Be Part of the Next Chapter
Our story continues because of people like you — donors, volunteers, and partners who believe in communities' power to change.