CINT 916 By Shayla Ladak
“Umuntu Ngumuntu Ngabantu”
This Zulu saying, which means ‘a person is a person through other persons’, originates from a fundamental philosophy in traditional African culture: ubuntu, which literally means humanity or kindness. The belief that humans are interconnected and share a common bond that helps uncover basic human qualities is the foundation upon which philanthropy has been built in Southern Africa. Read the rest of this entry >>
By Nadine De Albuquerque
Throughout my childhood, family members would describe stories depicting their upbringing in East Africa; the difficult times, the government nationalization of personal property directed at particular ethnicities and the disparate situations they witnessed, always making a point to convey just how “lucky” I was. The importance of family and community support was a recurring theme to these tales. Read the rest of this entry >>
By Gifitii Kebede
In Ethiopia, an East African country, joining a Mahiber is one of the main aspects of social interaction people have with each other. The word Mahiber means ‘an association’. Mahiber is a traditional philanthropic organization with the purpose of forming a safety net for people. Often times, people who form Mahibers have common attributes like living in the same neighbourhood, or belonging to the same church. Read the rest of this entry >>