Our Sustainable Trade Programme

How sustainable trade is helping families in Ugandan communities

Working with over 6000 local people, our Sustainable Trade Programme was developed in 2011 to enable parents to increase their incomes so they could afford to send their children to school.

Our aim at TK Maxx is to help parents ensure their children complete primary education. We do this by helping them increase their income from the production and sale of coffee, cocoa, cotton and crafts. We’re proud to be able to sell their products in our stores from award-winning Rwenzori coffee to traditional handmade baskets and crafts.

Our Sustainable Trade Programme

  • Cotton

    The Cotton Co-op was the first to be certified as Fairtrade in East Africa. We use Ugandan cotton to make our Red Nose Day t-shirts, supporting Comic Relief.

  • Craft

    Our beautiful handmade baskets are made using traditional techniques. The income from just two baskets could pay for a child's schooling for a term.

  • Coffee

    We work with over 1000 coffee farmers in the Rwenzori mountains. As a result, farmers now earn up to 20% more for their coffee crop.

  • Chocolate

    Our single-origin, fairtrade chocolate is produced from cocoa grown by Ugandan farmers, which brings vital income to help send their children to school.

Since the project began, over 6000 local people have benefited from improved income. When you include their families too, over 48,000 people are indirectly impacted and more children are now completing primary school education as a result of the project.

As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Uganda has experienced several closures of borders, schools and universities.

TK Maxx/Homesense continues to support Western Ugandan communities with grants to support education and trade through the Rwenzori Sustainable Trade Centre set up by TK Maxx/Homesense.

See how our Sustainable Trade Programme is helping schools

  • This video was recorded in 2018