Regenar Development Initiative

The Regenar Development Initiative (RDI) is a not-for-profit organization based in Kampala, Uganda, dedicated to promoting Regenerative Development and Design. RDI works to convene communities to regenerate their biocultural heritage and foster economic vitality while co-evolving with the natural ecosystems in their place. The organization focuses on creating regenerative systems that align human activity with the health of the environment, culture, and community. RDI’s flagship initiative is the Kiwaatule-2030 project, which aims to restore and regenerate the Nalubaaga wetland ecosystem while rebuilding housing, commercial, and community spaces in the Kiwaatule suburb of Kampala. By 2030, the project aims to transform the area into a regenerative suburb, fostering ecological, social, cultural, and economic health. The initiative is centered around the Nalubaaga Valley Community (NVC), a place-owned, collectively governed, distributive cooperative organization. The NVC is designed to steward the health of both people and natural ecosystems, particularly around the Nalubaaga wetland. The wetland, which flows through Kiwaatule, Kigoowa, and Najjeera, is part of a network of over 30 wetlands in Kampala that are under threat due to urban sprawl and environmental degradation. The name Nalubaaga Valley Community reflects the belief that by reconnecting to and centering the health of the Nalubaaga wetland/stream’s natural flow, the community can sustainably nurture social, natural, cultural, and material/financial health. This approach emphasizes eco-centric bioregioning over ego-centric administrative regioning, aligning human development with the natural rhythms of the land.