When a village controls its light, it controls its future.
Active initiative · Uganda · Since 2016
100+
Families already reached
300+
Families solar-energized soon
10
Community solar technicians
2016
Founded in New York
About Ubuntu Village
A New York-based nonprofit rooted in Ubuntu philosophy.
Ubuntu Village Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2016, partnering with families and youth in Kenya and Uganda to build thriving, self-determined communities through education, skills development, and access to essential resources. Our work is guided by the principle of Ubuntu — umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu — our shared humanity is the foundation of everything we build.
Mission
Partner with families and youth to support the sustainable futures they are already building.
Key programs
Solar energy access, organic farming, community education, and diaspora advocacy.
Leadership
Community-rooted board and staff. Decisions made with communities, not for them.
Legal status
IRS 501(c)(3) accredited nonprofit. Donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law.
Why solar power
Energy is not a luxury. It is the foundation of everything that comes next.
In rural Uganda, kerosene lamps are the default — expensive, toxic, and dim. A single solar panel changes the entire calculus of a household: children study after dark, women-led businesses run into the evening, health risks from kerosene fumes disappear. Solar energy is not charity. It is infrastructure that communities have long deserved and are now claiming.
Renewable energy also means energy sovereignty — power that cannot be price-gouged, cut off, or controlled by external interests. When a family owns its solar panel, it owns its light. That is what Ubuntu Village is investing in.
Project objectives
Four things this initiative makes real.
From the community · Uganda
"Zaharah was the first woman in her village to install solar panels on her home. Her light is now her neighbors' light too."
Read her full story in our blog: Solar Stories: Women Leading Energy Independence in Rural Africa →
Budget overview
Full transparency on where your investment goes.
The cost to solar-power one family is $80 USD. The total budget for 70 families is $5,600 USD (21,000,000 UGX). Every line item below is a real cost, documented and tracked.
Power the next 300 families.
$80 powers one family with solar for life. Every contribution has a home and a name attached to it.
A New York-based nonprofit rooted in Ubuntu philosophy.
Mission
Partner with families and youth to support the sustainable futures they are already building.
Key programs
Solar energy access, organic farming, community education, and diaspora advocacy.
Leadership
Community-rooted board and staff. Decisions made with communities, not for them.
Legal status
IRS 501(c)(3) accredited nonprofit. Donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law.