Nine Ugandan Civil Society Organizations today have received their Quality Assurance Mechanism (QuAM) certificates which is a milestone to them as NGOs also showing that they have been compliant, credible during their existance in the sector.
1. AMA Cradle for Development (AMACOD),
2. Facilitation for Innovation and Sustainable Productivity (FINASP),
3. Noble Community Agency for Peace and Development (NOCAPAD)
4. Meaningful Empowerment for Change and Poverty Alleviation (MECPA)
5. Lango Civil Society Network (LACSONET)
6. Bukedi Rural and Urban Community Initiatives (BRUCI)
7. ADINA Foundation.
8. Community Empowerment for Rural Development (CEFORD)
9. Rural Initiative for Community Empowerment (RICE) West Nile. This certification, a benchmark for institutional credibility, enhances their ability to attract funding and partnerships, further solidifying their role in Uganda's development landscape.
The QuAM awarding ceremony at Golden Tulip Canaan - Kampala was attended by the National QuAM Council led by the Vice Chairperson Ms Janet Opio and different eminent NGO leaders around the country.
The awarding of the 9 NGOs took place during the National Consultation meeting on the localizaton agenda was held on the 26th of March 2025 by the Uganda NGO Forum and DENIVA in collboration with CARE International Uganda.
The localization agenda is not a one-size-fits-all approach. It varies across donors, UN agencies, and INGOs. Some funding mechanisms remain transactional, treating national organizations as mere conduits for passing funds. Others take a more transformational approach, genuinely investing in the institutional strengthening of local actors through Locally Led Approaches.
"The Quality Assurance Mechanism (QUAM) presents a potential solution, a unified passporting system that verifies the legitimacy and capacity of national organizations. If properly restructured, QUAM could become the gold standard for due diligence in Uganda, reducing bureaucracy and enabling organizations to focus on their core work."
"Why would an organization go through different due deligenceis of different donor agencies yet there is QuAM that whose standards cater for all the requirements that any donor agency would require. This also helps an organization to keep her house clean and in order", said Apollo B. Gabazira the Country Director for CARE International in Uganda.
Apollo concluded with a strong call to action! Localization is not just about accessing funds; it is about proving readiness, strengthening governance, and establishing sustainable systems. INGOs, donors, and local actors must work together to; Define clear localization standards, Strengthen national organizations' capacity., treamline due diligence through a unified system.
