BUSINESS NEWS (UGNEWSLINE) — dfcu Bank Limited has launched its inaugural Report to Society 2025, setting out how its banking operations and community investment initiatives have contributed to Uganda’s economic development, financial inclusion and community wellbeing.
Held at Serena Hotel – Kigo, the launch brought together leaders from dfcu Limited, dfcu Bank and dfcu Foundation, alongside customers, stakeholders and partners, to reflect on the relationship between responsible banking, enterprise growth and long-term societal progress. The discussions centred on accountability, the role of finance in enabling inclusive economic participation, and the importance of measuring institutional success by more than financial performance alone.
The report consolidated evidence of dfcu’s work in financing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), supporting women entrepreneurs, strengthening agricultural value chains, expanding access to financial services and advancing community development. It also highlighted environmental initiatives and partnerships intended to support livelihoods and economic opportunity across Uganda.
Rather than presenting a conventional sustainability disclosure, dfcu positioned the publication as an impact report and an accountability statement: an account of what the institution’s activities have helped make possible for the people, businesses and communities it serves.
Speaking at the launch, Dr. Winifred Mary Tarinyeba Kiryabwire, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of dfcu Bank Limited, said the report represented an important step in making the Bank’s contribution to society more visible and strengthening accountability to its stakeholders:
“For more than six decades, dfcu has been part of Uganda’s economic transformation, supporting businesses, expanding financial inclusion and creating opportunities for individuals and communities. We recognise that our responsibility extends beyond financial performance to the contribution we make to the society that sustains our business. Our inaugural Report to Society brings that responsibility into focus. It documents the impact of our work while reinforcing the importance of sound governance, transparent reporting and responsible decision-making. We are sharing these results not simply to celebrate our progress, but to give our stakeholders a basis on which to assess our contribution and challenge us to do more,” she said.
Dr. Kiryabwire noted that the report reflected the expectations of an increasingly diverse stakeholder base, including regulators seeking transparency, shareholders looking for sustainable long-term value, employees seeking inclusive workplaces and customers expecting financial institutions to respond to their needs.
She added that the report provided a foundation for progressively strengthening dfcu’s sustainability reporting and accountability practices, while remaining focused on the practical outcomes of its work. The publication also highlighted dfcu Bank’s Women in Business programme, which has supported more than 80,000 women entrepreneurs. The initiative reflects the Bank’s longstanding efforts to widen women’s participation in economic activity by supporting enterprise development and access to financial services.
Mr. Charles M. Mudiwa, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of dfcu Bank Limited, said the decision to publish the report was rooted in the Bank’s responsibility to account for the resources and trust entrusted to it by customers, investors and the wider public:
“Uganda’s understanding of sustainability did not begin with the introduction of environmental, social and governance frameworks. Our communities have long understood the importance of protecting the natural world, preserving what matters and ensuring that future generations can benefit from what has been entrusted to them. That same principle applies to banking. Our customers and stakeholders entrust us with their money, their businesses and their confidence. We therefore have a responsibility to account for how we use those resources and what they help us achieve. This report is our first comprehensive step in bringing that account to the public and demonstrating how dfcu has contributed to the livelihoods, enterprises and communities that make up Uganda,” he said.
Mr. Mudiwa explained that the report brought together the Bank’s impact stories and key figures from its work over the years, providing stakeholders with a clearer view of the institution’s contribution beyond the provision of financial products and services. He added that dfcu’s long-term ambition was to remain a resilient, purpose-driven institution whose financial services enabled meaningful progress for individuals and businesses across Uganda.
The report recorded that dfcu Bank financed 6,527 SMEs in 2025, supporting businesses operating across Uganda’s economy. SMEs play an important role in production, trade, services and employment, making access to appropriate finance and enterprise support an important part of the country’s wider development agenda. The Bank’s contribution also extended to community health.
According to the report’s campaign figures, dfcu’s community health interventions reached more than 25,000 Ugandans, illustrating the role of partnerships and community investment in extending support beyond conventional banking services. Through a three-year partnership with Rotary Uganda, dfcu Bank committed UGX 1 billion to expand access to preventive healthcare through community medical camps across the country.
The initiative brings free outpatient consultations, diagnostic tests, medicines, dental and eye care, health education and referrals closer to communities, alongside screening for conditions including hypertension, diabetes, HIV, cancer and sickle cell disease. Recent outreaches included health camps in Jinja, Mbuya, Mutungo, Kasenyi Landing Site and Kamwokya. The partnership demonstrates how sustained collaboration can help address barriers to healthcare, encourage early detection and connect people who may otherwise struggle to access essential medical services.
Dr. James Ssemwanga, Chairperson of the dfcu Foundation, said the Foundation’s transition from a Business Development Centre to dfcu Foundation in 2024 represented a deliberate strengthening of its role in enterprise development, financial inclusion and sustainable economic growth. He said the Foundation’s work was particularly important for businesses in the “missing middle”: enterprises that had moved beyond survival but still needed appropriate financing, business-development services, market access and partnerships to scale:
“Uganda’s economic growth depends not only on helping businesses start, but also on enabling promising enterprises to become stronger, more productive and more resilient. Many businesses have the potential to grow, create jobs and support wider value chains, yet they need more than capital alone. They need the skills, partnerships, market connections and financial services that can help them move to the next stage. Since 2018, dfcu Foundation has supported more than 4,000 enterprises and reached over 80,000 beneficiaries, the majority of whom are women and young people. In 2025, we facilitated approximately UGX 38 billion in credit, helping enterprises access formal financial services and invest in growth. Our ambition for 2025–2030 is to support more than 100,000 additional beneficiaries by strengthening enterprises, connecting value chains and building productive market ecosystems,” he said.
Dr. Ssemwanga added that the Foundation’s work was intended to generate benefits beyond the individual businesses supported, including employment opportunities, stronger supplier relationships, improved market access and wider economic participation. The Foundation’s approach linked enterprise support to the needs of SMEs, aggregators, processors, commercial farms, manufacturers and other businesses whose activities connected producers, suppliers, workers and markets.
The report cited UGX 38.08 billion in financing facilitated through dfcu Foundation. The figure highlighted the Foundation’s role in connecting enterprises to formal finance and supporting their capacity to invest in growth.
Mr. Jimmy D. Mugerwa, Chairman of the Board of Directors of dfcu Limited, the holding company of dfcu Bank, said the report represented a significant milestone in the Group’s ambition to combine strong financial performance with responsible corporate citizenship and enduring societal impact:
“As the holding company, dfcu Limited provides strategic direction and oversight to the Group, with a responsibility to create sustainable value for our shareholders while contributing meaningfully to Uganda’s development. This report demonstrates how the work of dfcu Bank and dfcu Foundation has translated that responsibility into practical initiatives supporting businesses, communities and livelihoods. For us, the long-term success of dfcu cannot be measured by financial results alone. It must also be reflected in the opportunities we help create, the resilience of the communities we serve and the contribution we make to Uganda’s economic future. We hope this initiative encourages a wider culture of transparency in which responsible businesses report not only on what they earn, but also on what they contribute to society,” he said.
Mr. Mugerwa noted that dfcu had operated in Uganda since 1964 and reaffirmed the Group’s commitment to building a resilient and sustainable institution for future generations. He also recognised the contribution of employees, customers, shareholders, partners and communities to the Group’s continued development. He linked the report to dfcu’s broader responsibility to contribute to Uganda’s development priorities, including the national ambition for accelerated economic growth and expanded opportunities for businesses and households.
The report also highlighted dfcu’s environmental initiatives, including a reported 62,000 trees planted or distributed in 2025, according to the campaign materials. The initiative reflected the institution’s commitment to environmental stewardship as part of its wider contribution to society. The distinction between trees planted and distributed, together with survival rates, maintenance arrangements and longer-term environmental outcomes, remains important to understanding the lasting impact of tree-growing initiatives. Such measurement helps stakeholders assess not only the scale of an intervention, but also its durability and contribution to environmental resilience.
More broadly, the report reflected the growing importance of environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations in banking. Responsible banking increasingly involves understanding how financial decisions affect businesses, livelihoods, communities and the environment, while maintaining appropriate governance, risk management and accountability.
For financial institutions operating in Uganda and across East Africa, this means connecting financial inclusion and enterprise financing with a clearer understanding of social and environmental risks, stakeholder expectations and long-term economic resilience. It also requires credible data, transparent methodologies and disciplined communication so that reported activities and outcomes can be assessed meaningfully.
The Report to Society 2025 was presented as a step in that direction, bringing dfcu’s impact initiatives into a single public account while creating a basis for continued improvement in the measurement and disclosure of its contribution. Helena Mayanja, Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at dfcu Bank Limited, said the report brought together the different dimensions of the Bank’s contribution and made them more accessible to stakeholders:
“The purpose of this report is to show what happens when finance opens doors, enables businesses to grow and creates opportunities that extend beyond the immediate customer relationship. Behind every figure are people, enterprises and communities whose progress matters. Our inaugural Report to Society connects those stories with the results we have recorded across women’s entrepreneurship, SME financing, community health, enterprise development and environmental initiatives. It is an opportunity to demonstrate how our purpose of transforming lives and businesses in Uganda translates into practical action, while strengthening our commitment to credible measurement, transparency and continuous improvement,” she said.
Ms. Mayanja encouraged stakeholders to read the full report and use it to understand the programmes, partnerships and impact figures documented by dfcu. She emphasised the importance of communicating results in a way that remained accessible to the public while maintaining the discipline required for credible corporate reporting.
Among those present at the event were Dr. Jeff Sebuyira-Mukasa, Dr. Danny Zandamela, George Njuguna MBS, Millie Nkaja, Amanda Kabagambe and Mr. Mark William Springett, Non-Executive Directors of dfcu Bank Limited; Kate K. Kiiza, Executive Director and Chief Corporate and Institutional Banking Officer, Margaret Karume, Executive Director and Chief Credit Officer and Maryann Wanjiku Michuki, Chief Business Solutions and Marketing Officer amongst other senior members of the dfcu Bank management committee.
Representing the dfcu Limited Board were Francis Gimara SC, Dr. Aminah Zawedde, Fred Pelser, CPA FCCA Keto Nyapendi Kayemba and Barbra Teddy Arimi, alongside Sophie Achak, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of dfcu Limited. The dfcu Foundation was represented by Mabel Ndawula, Executive Director; Kate Kiiza, Non-Executive Director; and Dr. Victoria Sekitoleko, Board Member.
Other attendees included Mrs. Rosemary McGarvey, Chairperson of the Women Business Advisory Council; Geoffrey Martin Kitakule, Immediate Past District Governor and District Learning Facilitator of Rotary District 9213; and Mr. Karthik Palan, the event host from Serena.
The launch concluded with a renewed emphasis on shared responsibility: the role of dfcu in reporting on its contribution, the importance of stakeholder scrutiny, and the need to continue strengthening the link between financial services and meaningful socioeconomic progress. Through its inaugural Report to Society 2025, dfcu Bank presented an account of its contribution to Uganda’s development and reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive finance, transformative impact and responsible stewardship. The report was made available to the public through dfcu Bank’s official website.
Established in 1964 as a development finance institution, dfcu has supported Uganda’s economic development across sectors including agriculture, manufacturing, education, health, tourism, construction, transport and trade. Through its banking operations and community development partnerships, dfcu supports financial inclusion, enterprise growth, women’s economic participation, agricultural development and sustainability initiatives across Uganda.
