Philanthropy is ingrained in the Kenyan culture

NAIROBI: If you ask any mwananchi whether they consider themselves philanthropists, the answer would most likely be no.

Philanthropy is often associated with the super-rich, who give millions of dollars through foundations bearing their names. Philanthropy is defined as the desire to promote the welfare of others, expressed especially by the generous giving of money to good causes. This kind of giving has for long been ingrained in the Kenyan society, and indeed, many African cultures.

It is customary for us to give to our community, neighbours and family in time of need, whether it is individuals contributing to development projects, or when businesses celebrate their success by giving back to the localities they operate in. Philanthropy has served as a uniting factor, bringing communities together in the spirit of harambee.

Kenya’s economy is growing at one of the fastest rates in Eastern Africa, but the challenges of poverty, inequality, political turmoil as well as struggling health care and education systems remain a reality for ordinary citizens. Philanthropy is an important contributor to sustainable development, and in recent times, we have seen it powerfully at work, be it in helping us realise the millennium development goals, or coming to one person’s rescue in times of crisis.

The Beyond Zero campaign by first lady Margaret Kenyatta has raised over Sh540 million towards maternal health. Donations have largely come from the private sector and individual Kenyans who recognise the importance of improving access to maternal healthcare.

The Kenyans for Kenya initiative is another example of how the country came together to raise funds to combat famine in Turkana, garnering over Sh600 million in one month. The #IMillionForJadudi campaign raised over Sh7 million towards cancer treatment for Emmanuel Jadudi, of which 6.4 million was received in under 48 hours.

Over the last 10 years or so, there has been a phenomenal growth in philanthropic institutions, with athletes, musicians, companies and businesses setting up charitable foundations that fund projects in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. KCB, Safaricom, Tuskys Supermarket, Keroche Breweries, Equity, and many others have established foundations that give towards health, environment, education, entrepreneurship and sports.

The road ahead for local philanthropy leads to a greater participation by the private sector, individuals, civil society and the government, working in partnership to develop local solutions for our challenges.

There are currently several organisations working towards philanthropy development, recognising the need to expand the culture of philanthropy beyond religiously-motivated giving and charity, to include support for the sustainability of local institutions.

Organisations like the Kenya Philanthropy Forum, East Africa Association of Grantmakers, Kenya Community Development Foundation, and the Yetu Initiative, are involved in building the technology and systems to make local and private sector philanthropy safer, cheaper and more credible. The biggest challenge hindering local philanthropy is the lack of trust in local institutions. Kenyans want accountability for funds raised through public goodwill, and many institutions have failed in giving feedback on what has been accomplished using these funds.

The key to sustainable development is less reliance on external donors, made possible by the growth of local funding sources. We need to understand what fuels local philanthropy and what else is required to foster even more growth in this vital field.

On July 20, 2016, a nationwide study on Philanthropy in Kenya that looks into how Kenyans give to causes, and their motivation towards giving, will be released.

The study carried out by Nielsen and commissioned by Yetu Initiative, should provide interesting insights to those looking to raise funds as well as those looking to give with maximum impact, on some of the possible policies, partnerships, and support systems needed to drive local philanthropy.