Instead, they built something that made it real.

When Micheal and Pheona Matovu arrived in Scotland, they didn’t set out to launch an award-winning social enterprise. They just wanted to find their place. Like many immigrants, they faced barriers that were both loud and silent. Policies that excluded, systems that overlooked, and a culture that rarely saw them as equal.

But instead of shrinking in the face of that reality, they did something else entirely.

They built Radiant and Brighter, a community interest company rooted in lived experience, honest dialogue, and a vision for a more inclusive Scotland. What started as a response to injustice became one of the country’s leading voices in anti-racism and intercultural competence.

For over 12 years, they’ve designed, developed, and delivered training and consulting that doesn’t just tick boxes. It challenges the deep stuff like how organisations hire, how teams work, and how bias shows up even when we’re trying to do good.

Radiant and Brighter has worked with the Scottish Government, CodeBase, Marks & Spencer, Skills Development Scotland, and many more. But one of the most powerful examples of their impact was the Connecting Talent and Opportunity programme in 2016. By engaging senior leaders and shifting mindsets, they helped 90 people from minority ethnic communities secure employment in just 18 months.

This wasn’t charity. It was about value, visibility, and systems that finally started to open up.

Behind the scenes, Micheal brings a calm focus, a sharp mind for strategy, and a gift for connection. Pheona, with her warmth and unflinching honesty, is the fire that keeps the mission alive. Together, they’ve created safe spaces where hard conversations happen — and real change follows.

They’ve stood in rooms where they were the only ones. They’ve been told to tone it down. But they’ve kept going, because they know what’s at stake. Inclusion isn’t just a buzzword. It’s about who gets to thrive, who gets seen, and who feels like they belong.

Radiant and Brighter is more than a name. It’s a promise, that when communities are truly seen and valued, they radiate. And Scotland becomes better, not just for some, but for all.