Photo by Fatima Yusuf on Unsplash
By Rose Maruru, co-founder and CEO, EPIC-Africa
“Giving is only a matter of willingness, not of wealth” – Swahili Proverb
Research reports may offer a roadmap for African individual giving, but rarely do they spark action. This one, however, is different. The Challenging the Myths: Individual Giving for African Civil Society Organisations report calls time on prevailing Western narratives and reclaims the story and rightful celebration of African individual giving. In doing so, it has the opportunity to create an enduring groundswell of new insight and support – one I invite you to join.
When data confirms what you already know, it is satisfying. When it goes against a tide of opinion that has never felt comfortable or complete, it is liberating. This sentiment brought over 500 changemakers together at the EPIC-Africa launch on 4 December 2024 for the first study on how African Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) experience individual giving.
At least 65% of the 838 CSOs surveyed by EPIC-Africa receive individual donations, including direct gifts, community-generated funds, and personal contributions. Additionally, 53.3% list individual donors as a top funding source. While the percentage of funds from individual donors varies, the study highlights their critical role in supporting impactful work, from advocacy to environmental protection.” They span national, international, and pan-African terrain and remain strong during times of scarcity or crisis. Much of this giving is not labelled as philanthropy (no surprise to Africans!), but it reflects Africa’s widespread generosity and reciprocity.
Challenging the Myths truly makes my heart sing. With its incredible endorsements, launch, and the stories shared on social media, the hunger for new collaboration is here. Here are some ways we can all amplify the energy, pride, and resilience of the continent, as well as the unique way Africans weave communitarianism, reciprocity, and shared responsibility into their daily lives.
1. Replace the dominant narrative
For too long, the story of philanthropy in Africa has been told through the lens of external aid and charity. Let us replace it with our own stories of African agency.
The traditions of mutual aid, community giving, and solidarity run deep across the continent, many of which are informal. A group of women in a rural Kenyan village pool resources to send their brightest student to university. Young professionals in Lagos organise crowdfunding campaigns to support healthcare access. From ubuntu to esusu, what tradition or value system are you most proud of?
Here is a recent personal recollection from a LinkedIn colleague:
“Africans give and do so beyond their families, supporting vital work. So, take time to share your giving story.
The one that sticks with me is when I took English books in a suitcase to my village in northern Senegal. I started a quasi-library and also ran an English club, where I encouraged students to ask questions and practice what they had learned in class.
At first, many of the adults met my ideas with scepticism. But years later, the library has a building, and the club continues. How do you give back?”
How to take action:
- Funders: Support initiatives that reclaim and share narratives of African philanthropy by funding local storytelling efforts.
- Infrastructure organisations: Develop and distribute toolkits that empower communities to document and share their giving stories.
- Media and professional writers: Prioritise and amplify stories that showcase African-led giving and community generosity.
2. Build platforms that celebrate giving
African individual giving is vibrant but often unrecognised due to a lack of platforms to celebrate or facilitate it. The report calls for creating digital and physical spaces where giving is visible, celebrated, and encouraged.
Harambeans is a space where Africans innovate and invest as social innovators. Kisima is an African giving platform that promotes positive giving stories across the continent. M-Changa Africa supports mobile fundraising, and Backabuddy helps with crowdfunding. But how well are these platforms known? And what is missing? Beyond digital tools, we also need cultural hubs: storytelling events, media campaigns, and festivals that honour the spirit and joy of giving.
How to take action:
- CSOs: Collaborate with African tech platforms and innovators to create digital tools that make individual giving easier and more visible.
- Infrastructure organisations: Facilitate events, training, and campaigns like Africa Giving Day to celebrate and promote African-led giving while supporting CSOs with donor management.
- Governments and policymakers: Provide incentives or supportive policies to help grow African philanthropy.
- Funders: Support technology infrastructure for African-led giving platforms, CRM systems, fundraising software, and digital marketing platforms.
3. Strengthen trust through transparency
Trust is the currency of giving, yet many African nonprofits lack the resources or skills to communicate with donors, share how funds are used, and demonstrate their impact.
Imagine this: a grassroots organisation in Uganda publishing simple, clear reports on how donations were spent and the lives they changed. Or a clear donation page that makes giving easy and explains how different contributions will be used. Transparency doesn’t have to be complicated.
How to take action:
- CSOs: Adopt simple, transparent reporting systems that engage donors and demonstrate tangible results.
- Funders: Encourage and help grantees to prioritise transparency by helping them understand how to tap into emerging trends
- CSOs: Strengthen transparency and accountability mechanisms to deepen trust with communities.
4. Invest in knowledge and data
Data is power. To grow African individual giving, we need to understand it better: who is giving, why they give, and how we can nurture this generosity. The report emphasises the importance of investing in research and creating open access to this knowledge. Knowledge shared is impact multiplied.
Picture a pan-African database of individual giving trends or a series of case studies highlighting successful grassroots campaigns. Knowledge like this not only informs better strategies but also inspires more people to join the movement.
How to take action:
- Funders: Invest in long-term research initiatives to grow knowledge and provide actionable insights into African giving trends.
- Infrastructure organisations: Create and maintain open-access databases to share data on giving patterns and best practices.
- Researchers and academics: Prioritise studies on African individual giving and make findings accessible.
- CSOs: Contribute to African data and knowledge building by sharing information about the essential work that you do through platforms like the African CSO Platform.
Collective action as a force for change
‘There is always room for more at the supper table’.
African individual giving is not new; it’s deeply rooted in our traditions. What’s new is the opportunity to reclaim the narrative, to celebrate and scale our giving culture: How do we give? What do we give? Who do we give to? Why do we give? Where do we give? These questions can guide the reclamation of the narrative about African giving.
“In Africa, every individual’s giving is a seed through which communities harvest hope. The spirit of giving in Africa isn’t measured by wealth, but by the heart that shares; and when individuals give, communities thrive and grow – one giving at a time” – Joyce Mumina-Gatambia.
Challenging the Myths is not just a report; it’s a rallying cry. The question now is: how will you answer it?
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1. Between 2019 and 2021, EPIC-Africa undertook a series of surveys of African Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to gain a deeper understanding of and bring attention to African CSOs – focusing on what they do, how they do it and the challenges they face, with particular emphasis on the impact of COVIDCov in the latter two surveys. As part of these surveys, organisations were asked about their demographic data, including sources of funding. Of 1027 replies, 838 responded to the funding question leading to the analysis and report Challenging the Myths: Individual Giving for African Civil Society Organizations which provides clear insights into the prevalence and importance of individual giving.
Rose Maruru is the co-founder and CEO of the Dakar-based EPIC-Africa, which seeks to enhance philanthropic impact by filling critical data and capacity gaps in the civil society and philanthropy ecosystem in Africa.
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