NGO Capacity Building In East Africa

THE LDA PROGRAM

Looking for an NGO leadership development or capacity-building program in East Africa?

MAMA HOPE’s nine-month Localization Development Accelerator (LDA) brings together practical learning, coaching, and mentorship to strengthen the organisation behind your work. It is designed for organisations committed to applying what they learn, with leadership and team members actively involved in strengthening their organisational practices.

As a locally-led leader, you bring deep knowledge, experience and commitment to the communities you work alongside. But as your organisation grows, so do the demands of leading your team, managing resources, building relationships and putting systems in place to sustain your work.

The LDA goes beyond learning concepts to putting them into practice. You’ll work directly on your own organisation, developing strategies, systems and practices that reflect your priorities and realities. Rather than completing assignments for the sake of the program, you’ll build practical tools that you and your team can use immediately, continue improving, and adapt as your organisation evolves.

Our goal is for you to leave the program with more than new knowledge. We want you to have greater confidence in your leadership, stronger systems to guide your decisions, a wider network of peers and partners, and a more stable foundation from which to sustain your work, respond to change, and shape your organisation’s future.

WHO CAN APPLY?

We work with organizations that meet the following criteria:

Based in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda or Rwanda
Founded and led by people from the communities or contexts you serve
Established community relationships and support for its work
Interested in strengthening your organizational and leadership systems
Annual operating budget below US$100,000
Works in any sector or area of community development
Can commit 2–4 hours per week over nine months

PROGRAM STRUCTURE

Program Kick-Off

An in-person workshop launches the program, bringing organizations together for onboarding and the Leadership Development module.

Focused Modules

Each module typically runs for 3–6 weeks, depending on the curriculum and the depth of the subject matter.

Weekly Live Learning

Live virtual classes are held every Wednesday

10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. EAT / 9:00 a.m – 11:00 a.m. CAT.

Implementation & Reflection

A one-week break between modules gives organizations time to rest, consolidate learning, catch up on implementation, and prepare for the next module.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

LDA focuses on six (6) core areas that support locally-led organisations: strengthen how they lead, plan, operate, learn, communicate, and resource their work.

Strengthen the personal and interpersonal skills needed to lead an organisation

Strengthen the foundation for where your organization is going and why.

Strengthen the operational structures, policies, and financial practices in place to run your organization efficiently.

Develop practical ways to track progress, learn from your work, and use evidence to improve.

Create a clear organizational identity and communicate your work with confidence.

Build the knowledge and strategies needed to find, secure, and sustain funding.

#PITCHFEST

At the conclusion of the LDA, organisations are invited to bring together what they have learned and developed into a clear, compelling presentation of their work, priorities and future plans.

Through #PitchFest partners present their pitches with an audience of funders, experienced professionals and sector peers who provide feedback, ask questions and explore opportunities for further engagement.

The experience is designed to strengthen organisations’ confidence in communicating their value, introduce them to new perspectives and relationships, and create opportunities for conversations that can continue beyond the program.

PEER LEARNING

Learning doesn’t happen in isolation. Throughout the LDA, partners learn alongside peers, draw on the experience of mentors and create space to discuss the challenges and opportunities that emerge beyond formal learning sessions.

Peer Learning

Build relationships with fellow leaders, exchange practical approaches, challenge one another’s thinking and create accountability for applying learning within their organisations.

Stay for Tea

A monthly partner-led conversation where leaders bring forward topics that matter to them, share experiences and learn from one another in an open, informal setting.

Mentorship

External mentors offer perspective, encouragement and professional connections as organisations navigate their LDA journey and consider their next steps.

LABS
SPECIALISED LEARNING FOR DIFFERENT CONTEXTS

While our curriculum brings together common foundations of organizational strengthening, we recognize that locally-led organisations operate in different environments and face different challenges. Our specialised Labs adapt the learning experience to reflect the priorities, experiences and contexts of participating organisations.

Social Enterprise Accelerator Lab (SEAL)

Works alongside locally-led organisations developing income-generating activities and social enterprises to strengthen their business approaches, financial sustainability and ability to create lasting value for their communities.

Diversity & Equity Accelerator Lab (DEAL)

Creates a supportive learning environment for organisations working with and for LGBTQI+ communities to strengthen their leadership, organizational systems and sustainability while responding to their distinct operating contexts.

Refugee Engagement Accelerator Lab (REAL)

An upcoming lab designed for refugee-led organisations and organisations working in contexts of displacement, with learning adapted to their organizational priorities, operating realities and approaches to sustaining community-led work.

THE COLLECTIVE ALUMNI NETWORK

The end of the LDA is not the end of our relationship. Through The Collective, MAMA HOPE’s alumni network, organisations remain connected to peers, learning opportunities, sector conversations and relationships that can continue supporting their work as their priorities evolve.

LDA 2026

LDA 2025

PARTNERS 2008-2022

TESTIMONIALS

“We have also learned about how the structure can be built. Through that we have managed to build our advisory board, which is now again helping us to structure and strengthen the organization.”
Marcelin Munga Farming Health and Education in Kenya | LDA 2025 Cohort

As an individual, the LDA program has deeply shaped my leadership journey. I’ve gained stronger confidence in my role as a community leader, learned how to lead with empathy, and developed practical skills in project management, storytelling, and partnership building.”
Teddy Mwangi Founder & ED | 5-ALIVE CBO

“The LDA Program has been the best program I have done for Watoto Wasome and for my personal development in my 30+ years of life. We have figured out how to go forward.”
Danielle Ochieng Founder & ED Watoto Wasome | LDA 2025 Cohort

“Before I joined the LDA, the organization was a community organization… now, we are a nationally registered organization.”
Constantin Gasasira Irakoze Founder, Tech Guardians | LDA 2025 Cohort

“With your guidance, we are launching our first strategic plan this December. That is a major milestone for us. Being featured on MAMA HOPE’s platforms has given our organization a sense of legitimacy.”
Violeth Julias Founder, Tanzania Feminist Network | LDA 2025 Cohort

“We have been able to connect with incredible people and organizations around the world. You have opened doors and created meaningful opportunities for Simbas Footprints Foundation, and for that, we are truly thankful.”
Charles Godfrey Executive Direct, Simba Footprints Foundation | LDA 2025 Cohort

“The Localization Development Accelerator LDA program is impactful, a great investment into the work we do in communities that lack access. Even as we look into more opportunities to scale, we cannot underscore the need to build organizational structures.”
Christine Ombima Founder & ED at Stand Out 4 Mental Health | LDA 2025 Cohort

“I am grateful to Mama Hope because being part of the 2025 cohort showed that I’m willing to learn and work on my leadership journey”
Njeri Migwi Founder of Usikimye | LDA 2025 Cohort

VIDEO INTERVIEWS

READY TO STRENGTHEN THE ORGANISATION BEHIND YOUR WORK?

Your organisation already brings knowledge, experience and commitment to the communities you work alongside. The LDA creates space to strengthen the strategies, systems and relationships that can support your next chapter.

Explore the program requirements and take the next step toward joining a community of locally-led organisations learning, growing and working toward greater organizational sustainability.

Apply Here