Our Story
How it started...
Lusoma was born out of both passion and frustration.
A passion for the incredible work that local organizations across the Global South are doing to create real change.
And frustration at seeing these same organizations, while thriving publicly and receiving global recognition, struggling behind the scenes with weak systems, misaligned structures, and processes that couldn’t sustain their growth.
Many local non-profit organizations lose their vitality after 10 years due to financial instability, limited strategic planning, leadership gaps, mission drift, and difficulty in measuring and demonstrating impact.
For us, that’s a missed opportunity. So many bold ideas and so much potential, yet without strong organizational foundations and sustainable systems, that impact rarely reaches its full power.
Why we started...
Nonprofits are essential in serving marginalized communities, yet many lose momentum after a decade. Financial instability, weak strategies, governance gaps, mission drift, and difficulties proving impact are common barriers.
Funders and private sector partners often face their own challenges. Too often, global strategies fail to adapt to local realities, creating a disconnect with community needs. Data may be plentiful, but it rarely translates into context-smart solutions.
Local organizations, meanwhile, work under tight constraints. Many lack resources, recognition, and evidence to showcase their effectiveness. In fact, 60% of CSOs in Sub-Saharan Africa (2021) reported difficulty adapting to shifting environments. Balancing urgent community needs with long-term sustainability remains their toughest test.
How it's going...
Lusoma is an African word that means community or connectedness. We bridge the gap between large-scale development strategies and the local development realities.
We help social change institution hit pause and look inward to reflect, realign, and reimagine what’s possible when systems and strategy align with their vision.
Every organization regardless of their purpose or mission has the potential to influence and transform the environment in which they operate.
Our work is all about strengthening systems, sharpening strategy, and keeping missions relevant and rooted. From village meetings to boardrooms, we’re there to boost relevance, fine-tune the inner workings, and craft clever strategies that work.
“We are a trusted bridge.
A dependable partner to local organizations
seeking growth, clarity, and lasting impact.
A reliable partner to international organizations
seeking grounded partnerships.”
- Susan Njambi Odongo
Our Mission
Lusoma empowers institutions driving social impact with tailored strategy, participatory facilitation, high-quality training, and applied research to lead sustainable change in their communities.
Our Vision
A world where institutions working on social impact lead bold, sustainable change in every community they serve.
Our Ethos
Excellence
Lusoma is committed to achieving the highest performance standards and continuous improvement in all operations.
Meet Our Team
Lusoma brings together a dynamic team of technical experts and consultants who value collaboration and co-creation. Together, they support mission-driven organizations in reflecting, realigning, and growing, offering evidence-informed guidance through facilitation, learning, and strategic insight.
