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Goblis Foundation — People, Opportunities, Thriving Communities
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Practical support. Stronger communities.

What We Do

Goblis Foundation helps social entrepreneurs develop ideas that solve social and environmental problems, and helps rural communities turn local priorities into practical development initiatives. Our work addresses youth unemployment and climate challenges by bringing people, skills, institutions and opportunities together.

We organise this work through two programmes: Jikimu for social-enterprise support and Mashinani for locally led rural development. AfriTrace Link is our digital collaboration project, designed to help people and organisations connect and follow progress across Africa.

Two programmes, two starting points

Jikimu: helping social enterprises move forward

Jikimu is Kiswahili for “to sustain oneself”. It is for people building enterprises that meet a social or environmental need while working towards financial sustainability.

We help clarify the idea, the challenge it addresses and the support the entrepreneur needs. We connect suitable participants with learning, mentoring, professional expertise and relevant institutions, then follow up on agreed next steps.

For example, a young person developing a waste-reuse business may need business skills, technical advice and introductions to potential partners. Jikimu helps identify an appropriate pathway and the organisations best placed to support it.

Explore Jikimu →

Mashinani: development shaped by local priorities

Mashinani means “at the grassroots” in Kiswahili. It starts with rural communities, their knowledge, the challenges they face and the opportunities they identify.

We help communities and local organisations understand a need, consider possible responses, connect with suitable specialist partners and agree responsibilities. We follow the initiative through documented milestones and community feedback.

For example, a farming community seeking more resilient livelihoods may need to understand its water, production or market challenges before choosing a project. Mashinani helps bring the right people together around that locally defined priority.

Explore Mashinani →

These examples illustrate how the programmes work; they are not claims about completed projects.

Jikimu · Learning into practice

Building your enterprise with Ubunifu Institute

A good idea needs the skills and confidence to put it into practice. Through Jikimu, Goblis Foundation assesses your needs and helps suitable beneficiaries connect with Ubunifu Institute, our principal enterprise-development partner. We explain the referral, agree what information may be shared and help you understand your next step.

  1. 1. Agree your learning pathway

    We discuss your idea or existing enterprise and where you need support. Ubunifu Institute reviews your starting point and confirms the appropriate learning and coaching pathway, admission requirements and arrangements before you enrol.

  2. 2. Learn, test and strengthen your idea

    At Ubunifu Institute, the Foundation Course combines online learning with live coaching. You work on understanding the problem you want to solve, the people you will serve, your business model, costs, pricing and a practical plan for moving forward. The appropriate pathway builds on what you already know.

  3. 3. Put learning into practice

    You develop and test your enterprise plan, receive feedback and review your readiness for the next stage. Goblis Foundation follows up on agreed progress and helps identify suitable mentors, market connections or other practical support.

After the agreed learning pathway and readiness review, eligible participants may be considered for startup capital where a suitable approved fund is available. This is a separate decision based on the enterprise plan, eligibility, available resources and formal approval; completing training does not automatically qualify someone for funding.

Ubunifu Institute is responsible for its admissions, learning, coaching and assessments. Goblis Foundation coordinates the beneficiary relationship, agreed referral and follow-up. We clarify any fees, sponsorship or other support before you commit to a pathway.

Discuss your Jikimu pathway →Visit Ubunifu Institute ↗

How we turn an enquiry into practical next steps

  1. 1. Listen and understand

    We learn about the person, enterprise or community, the need they identify and what they hope to change.

  2. 2. Agree a suitable pathway

    We assess programme fit, identify support needs and explain the next steps and responsibilities.

  3. 3. Connect and coordinate

    We bring in relevant partners for learning, technical advice or other agreed support. Any funding requires its own eligibility checks and approval.

  4. 4. Follow up and learn

    We track agreed actions, gather feedback and review evidence of progress so the work can improve.

AfriTrace Link: supporting accountable collaboration

AfriTrace Link is a digital project being developed by Goblis Foundation. It is designed to help communities, enterprises and institutions discover opportunities, find collaborators, document agreed work and follow progress across Africa.

Learn about AfriTrace Link →

Find your way to take part

You can explore a programme, contribute professional skills, discuss a community initiative, partner with us or support an agreed purpose. We explain what is available and what each pathway involves before you commit.

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Your journey with Goblis Foundation

Choose your next step

Choose how you would like to take part in our work.

Explore our programmes

Find the right route for social enterprise or community support.

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Discover AfriTrace Link

Learn about our digital collaboration project.

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Get involved

Participate, volunteer or partner with us.

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Programme names and useful terms, explained
Jikimu
Kiswahili for “to sustain oneself”. Our programme supports people building businesses with a social or environmental purpose.
Mashinani
Kiswahili for “at the grassroots”. Our programme supports rural communities to identify priorities and coordinate practical responses.
Social enterprise
A business that aims to solve a social or environmental problem while working towards a sustainable income.
Referral
An introduction to a suitable organisation or specialist, made with permission. The receiving organisation decides which services it can offer.
Due diligence
Checks on an organisation, its plans, responsibilities and safeguards before a formal agreement.
Restricted or named fund
Money managed for an agreed purpose under written rules. A proposed fund becomes active only after the required reviews and agreement.
GFD reference
The unique reference for a planned direct bank contribution. It connects the intended purpose, transfer instructions and follow-up records; creating one does not move money.
Finance reconciliation
Matching a payment against the Foundation’s financial records. A successful online payment is confirmed separately from the payment provider’s later payout.
Safeguarding
Preventing and responding to harm, abuse or exploitation involving people who take part in our work.
Outputs and outcomes
Outputs are activities delivered or things produced. Outcomes are changes that result, such as improved skills or more reliable access to a service.

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