Ruparelia Foundation Launches Christmas Outreach In Tribute To Rajiv’s Legacy

The Ruparelia Foundation is preparing to mark this year’s festive season with a renewed sense of purpose as it launches a December charity campaign dedicated to the memory of Rajiv Ruparelia, whose influence in philanthropy shaped many of the organisation’s outreach efforts.

The initiative seeks to shift the focus from celebration to reflection by placing communities at the centre of a season that often highlights inequality as much as it does joy.

Rather than presenting the drive as a routine act of generosity, the Foundation is framing it as a continuation of the personal values that guided Rajiv’s life. Those involved in the planning say the outreach is less about symbolism and more about reviving the spirit of direct human connection that he consistently championed.

Volunteers describe him as someone who never waited for grand occasions to extend a helping hand but found meaning in showing up for people quietly and without ceremony.

The programme, which will run from the fifth to the thirteenth of December, includes visits to several community centres and schools across Kampala.

Among the places chosen are Ghetto Research Lab in Mulago Kamwokya, Chrystal Children’s Centre in Ssebuliba Kulambiro, Ekilawullo Community in Kyebando and King’s Ways Academy Junior School in Nansana Town Village.

Each location was selected for its close relationship with the Foundation’s previous work and for the everyday challenges faced by the children and families it serves.

Organisers say the activities will go beyond the traditional handing over of donations. They hope to create moments of shared experience that reflect Rajiv’s belief that compassion is most meaningful when expressed through presence and genuine engagement. “He never saw charity as an obligation but as an opportunity to remind people that they were not forgotten,” one volunteer said while helping to prepare packages that will include essential items and Christmas gifts for children.

The Foundation is inviting members of the public to contribute to the effort through donations or by participating in the visits. Contributions are being received at Kabira Country Club Reception where staff say the response has already begun to pick up as the season approaches. Transparency remains a central part of the process and organisers have assured donors that all items will be distributed openly and accountably.

As Christmas draws nearer, the Foundation hopes the campaign will encourage Ugandans to approach the season with a deeper appreciation of community and shared humanity.

For those close to Rajiv, the initiative offers a way of keeping his generosity alive not through remembrance alone but through actions that mirror the kindness he freely extended.

In doing so, the organisation aims to turn a month often defined by celebration into a moment of collective giving that honours a legacy built on compassion.