About Us
Welcome to Coti | Uganda |
“Poverty doesn’t end with aid — it ends when people gain the skills, tools, and power to create their own future.”
—Deo Mbabazi, Founder, COTI
Our Story
Why We Exist
👣 From Witnessing Pain to Creating Purpose
In the rural heartlands of Mpigi District — in villages like Kikomazi,

Kasubo, Kalagala Kikuntuzi, Nkozi, Nabusanke, and the vibrant Kayabwe trading center — something deeper than poverty was taking root: “hopelessness”.
Girls were dropping out of school due to unwanted pregnancies.
Mothers were abandoned, left to raise children alone. Youth with potential and dreams were idle, jobless, and trapped in silence. Families struggled to meet basic needs like food, shelter, and healthcare. Yet no one seemed to be listening.
🧡 A Bold Step from the Heart
Deo Mbabazi, the founder of Community Change and Transformation Initiative (COTI), saw this pain daily — not in reports, but in the eyes of real people. He was working a comfortable job with an international NGO, yet his soul was restless. Each trip home deepened his conviction that someone had to act.
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Memory Lane
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In 2016, Deo made a life-changing decision:
He left his paying job to pour his heart into serving the forgotten.
With nothing but faith, love for his people, and the will to make a difference,
COTI was born.
💪 From Empathy to Action
COTI began with one strong belief:
“When people are empowered — with skills, knowledge, and opportunity — they can change their lives and their communities.”
We started small:
- Helping girls stay in school and avoid early pregnancy
- Teaching youth and women practical skills like tailoring, farming, and business
- Promoting family values and responsible parenting
- Supporting communities with clean energy and tree planting to protect their land
Over time, we grew ; powered by trust, shared experience, and commitment.
🌍 Why We’re Still Here
COTI is more than an organization — it’s a movement of dignity and transformation.
Every child who smiles in class, every mother who earns from her hands,

every tree planted, every voice raised in a village meeting — this is our reason to keep going.
And we’re only just beginning.
Today, COTI leads programs in:
- Livelihoods and economic empowerment
- Education and basic needs support
- Civic education and community leadership
- Green livelihoods and climate action
🙌 Join the Change
COTI was founded on empathy, action, and hope. Whether you're a donor, volunteer, partner, or neighbor — there’s a place for you in our story.
📩 Contact us to learn how you can get involved.
💚 Together, we can inspire, empower and transform communities.