The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has called upon individuals and institutions that are making a positive impact on communities to submit their proposals for the annual Torch Awards where a total of Shs80 million financial support is up for grabs.
The financial support will be given to the winning projects at the Annual Torch Awards, an initiative by NSSF aimed at recognising individuals and institutions like the media that are transforming their communities and have made a positive impact through those projects.
Speaking at the launch NSSF Managing Director Richard Byarugaba said the awards are premised on the fact that as a socially responsible organisation, the Fund has a duty to contribute to the wellbeing of the communities in which it operates.
Byarugaba said the Fund is now calling for proposals from individuals and institutions that have positively transformed communities to compete for the Torch Awards project funding.
“To qualify for the awards this year, projects should focus on one of four thematic areas, namely; Youth, Education, Health and the Disadvantaged. In addition, the projects should be not-for-profit, non-partisan, impactful, benefit a wider community and should not be funded by local or international charities and Non-Governmental Organisations,” says Byarugaba.
This year the Fund has also introduced an additional Torch award category for journalists whose reporting has positively impacted lives of the underprivileged.
“We feel there are great stories in our communities that have inspired community interventions to assist the underprivileged members of society and journalists are at the forefront of bringing these stories to life, hence this new category. To qualify, journalists will be required to submit their work about a project they reported on that has greatly impacted the community in which it operates. The top two winning journalists’ entries will be rewarded with equipment that will advance their work,” said Byarugaba.
He added that the Fund will engage journalism and communication professionals to evaluate and select the best entries for the new category.
Community based organisations or individuals and journalists have up to April 21, 2017 to submit their proposals and work through e-mail at csr@nssfug.org.
Over the last two editions, six projects have benefited including 40 Days Over 40 Smiles Foundation (40-40), Childcare and Rescues Home (Makindye), Youth and Women Empowerment Foundation (Kabarole), Mbale Maternity Home, Kisozi Orphan Support Center – Gomba, and Children of Uganda- Mukono, among others.
