Preamble:

The spirit of Ubuntu is essentially to be humane and ensure that human dignity is always at the core of our actions, thoughts, and deeds when interacting with others. Having "Ubuntu" is showing care and concern for your neighbor - "Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself." It's lending a helping hand and displaying an understanding of the dignity with which human beings ought to be treated _ for the simple reason that they are human like us.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu expounds on this human connectedness in his definition of Ubuntu, where he defines Ubuntu as, "My humanity is caught up, is inextricably bound up, in what is yours."

So, Ubuntu Fund is made available by kingdom minded (Jesus centered) business people with the sole purpose of providing loans to small businesses in Uganda. The fund targets active small business with the aim of helping them to significantly improve their growth and revenues. The fund provides interest-free loans which can be used either to support the next level of growth, or operations for small businesses which would find it difficult to access alternative capital.

The process for administering loans:

This small business loan is administered through the LayLife whose leaders disburse and collect all the money loaned out through the following process:

1. Whenever the fund has money available for disbursing in loans, the leadership will look out for potential beneficiaries who submit in applications for review and those who meet the criteria are given the money with in 7 working days of receiving their applications.
2. Successful applicants will be notified, briefed about the purpose and expectations of the fund and given the money either through a bank, mobile money, or cash transfer depending on the capacity or convenience of the loan recipient.
3. At the time of receiving the money, recipients will sign agreements with the fund managers through which they acknowledge understanding of the loan especially committing themselves to a repayment schedule that they suggested during their application.

Criteria:

An individual shall be eligible to benefit from the Ubuntu fund if they meet the following criteria:

1. They run a profitable business and have been in business for not less than a year at the time of applying for the loan.
2. They invest a significant amount of their time in the business i.e. its their main focus and not just a side "hustle."
3. They are of good character and have people who can witness that they have the integrity to bay back the money they borrow.
4. The business has an aspect of Ubuntu and Kingdom focus - In other words Business as a vocation. It is another opportunity of Evangelism, worship, and co-creating with God.
5. For repeat borrowers they should have paid back the money according to the schedule they promised. To emphasize more, timely loan repayment makes anyone eligible for another loan if needed.

Expectations / commitments from loan recipients

1. Use of the loan: The person who receives the loan commits to use the money for the purpose of sustaining or growing their business as indicated in the application, and not for any other use.
2. Repayments: The receiver of the loan commits to repay the received amount with in a period of ten(10) months from the date of receiving the money, without any interest. This repayment is based on a schedule suggested by the loan applicant at the time of applying for the loan.
3. Capacity building: The recipient commits to be available for any trainings, or gatherings organized or recommended by Ubuntu/LayLife for the purposes of improving their capacity to run their business better. They should also be willing and available to share their knowledge or support/cooperate with other businesses whether benefiting from the Ubuntu fund or not, for the purpose of giving back.
4. Reporting: The recipient is expected to provide at least 2 reports during the time they are using the Ubuntu loan to run their business. This will be after the first 3 months and then at the end of the repayment cycle. They also accept to be visited by the Ubuntu team at any time of the business for purposes of assessing progress of the business or inspecting use of the funds.