Despite Colombia being categorized as the fifth most dangerous city in the world, its situation is

not as precarious as media and other social entities portray it to be. In fact, Colombia is recognized for its

friendly culture and its commitment to its community. It is exceedingly common in the Colombian culture

for neighbors to offer a helping hand when others are experiencing difficulties or hardship. For example,

when a neighbor requests to borrow an egg, it is not uncommon for another neighbor to lend it to them; or

when a neighbor requests assistance fixing their plumbing, another neighbor would willingly lend a

helping hand free of cost. This paper will focus on the cultural practice surrounding the Colombian

Throughout the many conversations I have engaged in with my Colombian relatives, I have found

the act of La Rifa most philanthropic. La Rifa typically occurs in times of crisis, when a member of your

community is encountering adversity. The three most prevalent episodes of La Rifa that I have witnessed

occurred because the father and primary breadwinner of the family was incarcerated, or the father and

primary breadwinner of the family lost employment or a member of a family from the community had

passed away and the family was unable to afford adequate burial services.

When unfortunate occasions similar to the ones mentioned above occur, the community leader,

usually a self-elected male elder, will gather donations. In the Colombian culture large donations are

luxury items such as electric blenders, electric radios, etc. He then raffles these items off to community

members. Everyone in the community is eager to participate in La Rifa because not only does it mean

they have a chance to win a luxury item, but they are also consciously aware that by participating the

proceeds from their raffle ticket will grant aid to another community member in need.

In addition to the proceeds of La Rifa, the leader of the community will also go door-to-door and

collect donations for the family/individual in crisis. With the average monthly wages of a Colombian

estimated to be $692, it is difficult and impractical for individuals to make large monetary donations.

Instead, community members donate as much food as they can spare. Typical donations consist of rice

In the Colombian society there is a heavy reliance on the community and less on government

officials. Instead of allocating funding towards the creation of a social safety net, the Colombian

government allots the majority of their funding towards military strategies and movements favoring the

eradication of Colombia’s largest rebel group, The Farc. This therefore, places the responsibility of social

welfare on community members and increasing the continuation of La Rifa.

It is evident that Colombians do not take an individualist approach within their community. In the

Colombian culture there is a strong emphasis placed on communal generosity and the donation of one’s

time and inclusiveness and less on the donation of monetary funds. These acts of generosity are only

expected to act as a temporary solution. Instead, the idea of reciprocity is highlighted. This in turn

encourages the suffering family/community member to resume their position within their community and

one day give back to those that have given to them in their time of need.

Works Cited

A. Sanclemente (personal communication, September 25, 2013)

BBC News. (N.d.). Where are you on the global pay scale? Retrieved September 26th, 2013.

From http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17543356.

C. Lopez (personal communication, September 26, 2013)

Global Burden of Armed Violence. (2011). Trends and Patterns of Lethal Violence. Retrieved

September 27th, 2013. From

www.genevadeclaration.org/fileadmin/docs/GBAV2/GBAV2011-Ch2-Summary.pdf.

Peters, T. (N.d.). Colombia’s average wages less than half global average. Colombia Reports.

Retrieved September 27th, 2013. From http://www.colombiareports.co/colombias-

average-salary-lower-than-global-average/.

“For the body snatchers of Bangkok, the road to Nirvana is paved with deadly collisions.”
— Peter Lloyd, Journeyman Pictures, 2006

They rush through the dark, gridlocked streets of Bangkok as fast as they can, night after night, in order to arrive first at scenes that would give most people nightmares for days: sites strewn with bodies that are bloodied, mangled, crushed, shot, drowned, burned or torn apart; car crashes, suicides; the murdered, the unlucky. All victims of trauma, all lying dead on streets or in rooms, all waiting for someone to find them and give them peace at last. Careening towards these accident scenes are not highly-trained, paid professionals in ambulances, however. Instead, these are untrained, unpaid volunteers known as the “Body Snatchers” – or less graphically, the “Guardian Angels” – of Bangkok. These average citizens rush to the aid of trauma victims, either to provide basic first aid to the wounded or to take the dead to hospitals for cremation. In a city of eight million people, no formal emergency services and two million car accidents a year, the body snatchers are indeed guardian angels for the dead, performing a much-needed form of philanthropy.

Bangkok body snatchers are officially recognized volunteers for one of two Thai foundations and many have been doing this work for years (even decades). Sometimes entire families volunteer together. Because there are so few ambulances in Bangkok, many drive battered pickup trucks customized for the task at hand. Often, these everyday citizens will go out at night after a day’s work. Even popular actors or models volunteer to collect bodies, and late-night corpse runs featuring these celebrities are filmed for reality TV shows. Rushing to be first at the grisly scenes, they don’t do this for fame or financial gain – the few paid collectors make about $135–500 a month – but instead they do this for a much more personal reason: to bring “merit” or good fortune unto themselves and their families; to build karma in order to protect themselves in this life and improve the next. The Bangkok body snatchers are Buddhists, and they believe that “by helping someone pass through the rigors of death, good karma is…earned.” [Ehrlich, 2010]

Earning this good karma is not without risk. Rather ironically, in addition to karma, Buddhists also believe in ghosts and touching a dead body risks having the spirit enter one’s own body. Furthermore, the more violent a death, the more powerful the ghost of the victim. Thus, collecting a body from the scene of a car accident, for example, is fraught with spiritual danger. To arm themselves against the powerful spirits, body snatchers don protective amulets. Should an amulet be lost, no fear: the insignias embroidered on the volunteers’ uniforms are infused with protective powers, as well. Along with believing in ghosts, Buddhists believe in reincarnation. So to the body snatchers, the inherent risk of touching the dead is worth it: once collected, the corpse is handed over to the hospital, the body is cremated and its spirit is released and free to move onto its next life, further earning the rescuer much good karma for his good deed.

While many groups have tried to gain a foothold in philanthropic body collection (resulting in much fierce competition), since 1991 only two foundations have been officially recognised by the police and allowed to operate in Bangkok, each with its own territory of collection: the Poh Teck Tung Foundation and the Ruamkatanyu Foundation.

The Poh Teck Tung Foundation was founded in 1910 to provide care to the sick and wounded, as well as collect the dead after accidents. Since it began, it has founded several hospitals, the most recent in 1997 (Hua Chiao Hospital). On viewing its website, the foundation also appears to provide disaster relief and to award scholarships and grants for continuing education.
The Ruamkatanyu Foundation was founded in 1970 with the purpose of collecting the unclaimed bodies of accident and murder victims and to provide them with a proper burial. Today, the foundation has a number of ambulances and volunteers who bring the dead, injured or sick to the hospital free of charge. It is also able to handle large-scale rescues in the event of disaster.

As volunteers with either of these foundations, the body snatchers of Bangkok provide multiple necessary services: streets are cleared of accident victims, the wounded are helped, the dead are collected, cremated and sent onto their next incarnation. All this good work results in the accumulation of good karma for the body snatcher and his family. As a form of philanthropy, some Westerners may find the practice of corpse collecting a gruesome one. However, as Akapan Banloerit – one of Thailand’s most popular actors and a volunteer body snatcher for over 20 years – explains: “Acting is our job. We have to do that to earn money – but for this, we volunteer. We give our time, our heart, and everything to help society.” Certainly Western philanthropists can relate to that heartfelt sentiment.

Interestingly, one of the founding members was Anuwat Rachaniyom (or Yi KoHong), who was a leader in a Chinese secret society, the Hong Moen Thian Ti Hu, which ran gambling dens in Bangkok. Chinese secret societies provided mutual aid between the members, including caring for a fellow member’s corpse after he had died and ensuring a proper burial. One might wonder, with his background in crime and experience with caring for his fellow members’ bodies combined with the Buddhist belief of karma, did Rachaniyom help establish the more upstanding Poh Teck Tung Foundation as a way to bank good karma and make amends for his own past bad deeds?

Works Cited

Carter, Jeff C., Ghost Tower, February 21, 2013
● http://jeffccarter.wordpress.com/tag/por-tek-tung-foundation/

Crampton, Thomas, The Body Snatchers / Fighting for a Gory Prize : A Race to the Death in Bangkok, January 29, 2002
● http://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/29/news/29iht-bodies_ed3_.html

Ehrlich, Richard S., Bangkok’s real-life body snatchers, April 1, 2010
● http://travel.cnn.com/bangkok/none/bangkoks-reallife-body-snatchers-642128

Leveau, Arnaud, editor, Investigating the Grey Areas of the Chinese Communities in Southeast Asia, March 14, 2007
● http://www.academia.edu/415705/Investigating_the_Grey_Areas_of_the_Chinese_Communities_in_Southeast_Asia

Poh Teck Tung Foundation website: http://www.pohtecktung.org/

scheng1, Ruamkatanyu Foundation in Bangkok, March 21, 2013
● http://www.bubblews.com/news/335620-ruamkatanyu-foundation-in-bangkok

Viceland, Thailand – Body Snatchers, 2006
● http://www.vice.com/en_ca/read/thailand-body-snatchers

Journeyman Pictures, produced by ABC Australia, Body Snatchers – Thailand, April 28, 2006 (uploaded August 8, 2007)
● http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eWddjc7d3k
● Transcript: http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2006/s1584927.htm

Payen, Cyril, France 24, Thailand: the war of the “Body Snatchers”, March 3, 2011
● http://www.france24.com/en/20110301-reporters-thailand-body-snatchers-crime-traffic-accidents-charities-competition-deaths-bodies-bangkok-donations

Ponlapat Nanthamanop, Ruamkatanyu Foundation final, uploaded November 28, 2012
● http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyFLs2QWN_s

tofu-magazine, featuring Philip Blenkinsop’s “Carmageddon: The Cars That Ate Bangkok”
● http://www.tofu-magazine.net/newVersion/pages/carma1.html

Howe, Jason P., Thailand, Bangkok Body Snatchers
● http://jasonphowe.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Thailand-Bangkok-Body-Snatchers/G00007DYxP1ITDeE/I0000RnB2hBtQ4Ac

Braille books are unfortunately not available in Egypt and Kheir fel Hazr aimed to change that (El-Saeed, 2013). Pages of books were scanned and then sent to volunteers to type in a Microsoft Word document. From there, a program was used to translate the pages into Braille. Realizing that not all visually impaired individuals could read Braille, the group also began creating audio books. The initiative currently has over three hundred volunteers, and has been able to create seven Braille books as well as seven audio recorded books (El-Saeed, 2013).

Although the curfew in Egypt has now been removed, the initiative has decided to continue to its mission. And from there the group will expand its mission by gathering volunteers with various talents and expertise and offering teaching lessons for children in need. Kheir focuses on improving Egypt after the revolution in aspects other than politics (El-Saeed, 2013). The group’s future plans include traveling to less fortunate places in Egypt, such as Upper Egypt, to provide education for illiterate children. As well as distributing clothing to children in orphanages during the Islamic celebration of Eid (El-Saeed, 2013).

Works Cited

British Broadcasting Corporation. (2013, August 25). Egypt government relaxes night-time

curfew. British Broadcasting Corporation News Middle East. Retrieved from

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23830892

El-Saeed, Y. (2013, September 8). Philanthropy during the curfew. Daily News Egypt. Retrieved

from http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2013/09/08/philanthropy-during-the-curfew/

In South Africa, giving is high among those of wealth and power but it extends beyond the rich

giving. Even those who have little that they can give in monetary value or goods are able to give

through their time and in some cases, hospitality. This rooted want to do for others is based on

the idea of humanness, also known as Ubuntu. Ubuntu guides many of the philanthropic actions

of others in South Africa and is considered one of two main reasons those in South Africa do

good works for others in the form of giving (Barclay’s Wealth, 2010).

What is Ubuntu?

Humanness, also known as Ubuntu in Zulu, is the idea that “I am because you are” (Mofid,

2012) or the idea that one is connected to others. This philosophy instills the idea that man

cannot function without others in their lives. Humanness in this capacity instills the moral values

of empathy, sympathy, togetherness, brotherhood, equality, sharing, compassion, respect,

tolerance, harmony, redistribution, obedience and happiness (Broodryk, 2006).

The Story of Ubuntu

One of the stories of Ubuntu that can be found is that of an anthropologist who was studying an

African tribe. The children in the tribe were tasked with getting a singular candy at the top of the

tree and when the children went to the tree, they went together. Perplexed by this, he asked

“Why did you go together?” and the children responded, “Ubuntu.” The children then split the

candy into pieces, each child eating their fair share. This represents both the spirit and the nature

of what Ubuntu means in that specific culture.

Ubuntu in Action Today

As of January 2013 one of South Africa’s richest men, Patrice Motsepe, has signed a pledge to

turn over half of his fortune to the poor, donating it to the Motsepe Foundation. This money that

he is donating will be used to provide for the poor, those who are unemployed, women, youth,

those who are disabled and workers (Tau, 2013). Patrice explained to those in attendance that his

influence came from Bill and Melinda Gates, his family and Ubuntu. Ubuntu was a philosophy

his family kept as well and Patrice cited that his mother used to give food to those who were

poor at the store that the family owned as well as how his family helped pay for the education of

children who were less fortunate (Tau, 2013). His actions showcased both philosophically

culturally how important Ubuntu had become to the people of South Africa as children are both

brought up seeing it happen and then have a chance to participate, either as adults or children, in

the spirit of it.

Works Cited

Barclay’s Wealth. (November 2010). Global Giving: The Culture of Philanthropy. Retrieved

from http://www.barclayswealth.com/Images/Global-Giving-the-Culture-of-

Philanthropy.pdf

Broodryk, J. (October 12-17th, 2006). Ubuntu African Life Coping Skills Theory and Pratice.

Retrieved from http://www.topkinisis.com/conference/CCEAM/wib/index/outline/

PDF/BROODRYK%20Johann.pdf

Mofid, K. (July 14th, 2012). ‘UBUNTU': “I am because we are”- The true path to true

happiness. Retrieved from http://www.gcgi.info/blog/237-ubuntu-qi-am-because-we-

areq-the-true-path-to-true-happiness

Tau, P. (January 31st, 2013). Billionaire prepares ubuntu will legacy. Retrieved from

http://www.iol.co.za/the-star/billionaire-prepares-ubuntu-will-legacy-

1.1461691#.URBEhaVpeHI

African philanthropy has been in the news recently, with the January 30, 2013

announcement that South African’s richest black citizen, Patrice Motsepe, will be

giving away half of his family’s wealth during his and his wife Precious Motsepe’s

lifetimes. This announcement was greeted with interest in North America, as

Reuters reported that Motsepe is the first African philanthropist to sign up for The

Giving Pledge. Founded in 2010 by leading U.S. philanthropists Warren Buffett and

Bill Gates, The Giving Pledge is “an effort to invite the wealthiest individuals and

families in America to commit to giving the majority of their wealth to the

philanthropic causes and charitable organizations of their choice either during their

lifetime or after their death.”

The Founder and Executive Chairman of African Rainbow Minerals, a mining

company with interests in gold, platinum, coal and ferrous metals, the 51-year-old

Motsepe, whose personal worth is estimated at R22.99 billion ($2.58 billion CAD),

said he was inspired not only by Buffet and Gates’ initiative but also by southern

African traditions of generosity. In a press release announcing his pledge, Motsepe

stated, “South Africans are caring, compassionate and loving people. It has always

been part of our culture and tradition to assist and care for less fortunate and

marginalised members of our communities. This culture is also embodied in the

spirit and tradition of Ubuntu/Botho.”

Ubuntu is variously defined as a southern African humanism, philosophy,

worldview, ethic or personal quality. Danish philosopher Christian B.N. Gade’s

investigations showed references to Ubuntu began appearing in written sources in

1846, though until the mid-1900s, it was only used to define a human quality, before

being applied more broadly to describe a philosophy or worldview. More recently,

ubuntu was discussed considerably during transition from white minority to black

majority rule in South Africa and Zimbabwe in the 1990s, and that “it was during the

period from 1993 to 1995 that the Nguni proverb ‘umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu’

(often translated as ‘a person is a person through other persons’) was used for the

first time to describe what Ubuntu is.”

At its core, Ubuntu is the recognition that all people are interconnected and that no

one exists in isolation.8 As the Nguni proverb suggests, in Ubuntu we discover our

own selfhood through other people – through community, collaboration and co-

operation; through openness, kindness and generosity towards others. Prominent

South African public figures such as Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former

President Nelson Mandela have both expressed admiration for the Ubuntu

philosophy. In his 1999 book No Future, No Forgiveness, Tutu said: “A person with

Ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened

that others are able and good, based from a proper self-assurance that comes from

knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others

are humiliated or diminished, when others are tortured or oppressed.”

While Ubuntu is a word in the Bantu language, Botho is the Botswanan word for the

same concept in the Tswana language.

The generous spirit of Ubuntu can also be seen expressed in the philanthropic work

of the Ubuntu Institute, who work towards the eradication of HIV/AIDS and poverty,

the empowerment of women and providing access to education in Africa9, and the

Trust Africa Foundation, concerned with securing the conditions for democracy and

cultivating African development, enterprise and properity, “through collaboration

and partnerships with like-minded institutions and donors.”

Works Cited

Press release: “Motsepe gives half to the poor.” Motsepe Foundation. 30 January 2013.

http://www.themotsepefoundation.org/media-room/press-releases/2013/motsepe-gives-half-to-the-poor-01-

30-2013

Lakmidas, Sherilee. “First South African billionaire donates fortune to poor.” Reuters. 30 January 2013.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/01/30/us-sfarica-motsepe-idUKBRE90T0SF20130130

“About” page. The Giving Pledge. http://givingpledge.org/ 3 February 2013.

Corporate summary. ARM Annual Report 2009.

http://www.arm.co.za/im/files/annual/2009/pdf/homepage/corporate_summary.pdf

Volgraaff, René. “No problems for the rich as they get richer.” Times Live (Johannesburg). 4 September 2011.

http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/2011/09/04/no-problems-for-the-rich-as-they-get-richer

Press release: “Motsepe gives half to the poor.”

Gade, Christian B.M. “The Historical Development on the Written Discourses on Ubuntu.” Department of

Philosopy and History of Ideas, Aarhus University, Denmark. 2011. Kearns, Ann. “Ubuntu: A South African perspective of philanthropy.” Global Giving Resource. 29 January 2013.

http://www.globalgivingresource.com/blog/category/south-africa/

Ubuntu Institute. http://ubuntuinstitute.com/ 3 February 2013.

Trust Africa. http://www.trustafrica.org, 3 February 2013.

The Ghost Festival is a traditional Chinese festival, which is celebrated by Chinese in many

countries. This festival is on the Chinese calendar (lunar Calendar)14th night of the month of

seventh. The seventh of the Lunar calendar is called Ghost Month.

In the Chinese culture, people believe that hungry ghosts and spirits rise from the gates of hell,

which remain open this month. The spirits seek food and revenge, as well as visit their

descendants. The Ghost Festival is the height of the Ghost Month Celebrations, and descendants

remember their ancestors by preparing a meal for the ghosts. It is widely believed that the ghosts

must be satisfied in order for there to be peace, harmony and good fortune in the family.

The last activity of the Ghost Festival is to distribute “Blessing Rice”. In the past, rough, low

quality rice was distributed to seniors and to the poor as an act of charity and penance to dispel

any ghosts that sought revenge. There would be thousands of seniors who lined up at the

community centre, waiting to receive some rice.

Originally, rice was offered to the ghosts. But after being offered, it was no longer a desirable

food since it had been touched by the ghosts. In order to prevent waste of edible food, the rich

would distribute it to the poor in an act of philanthropy.

Rice has great importance in the Chinese culture, the most important source of carbohydrates in

the diet. It is consumed at a rate which is comparable only to the amount of bread eaten in the

Western Culture. Historically, during a period of famine, rice was the only food available and

saved many lives. As well, many immigrants from Chiu Chau, south part of China, to Hong

Kong made a living from growing and selling rice, a business that was carried on by future

generations. Hence, rice is a source of food security and had symbolic importance to the people

of China.

However, today, the meaning of rice has evolved in Hong Kong. Instead of being blessed by rice,

people eat it as a commodity and do not appreciate its value. During rice distribution at the end

of the Ghost Festival today, high quality rice is given out in bags of 5 kg each, along with

packages of amenities and lucky money packages. Although philanthropic, it is also distributed

to those who do not appreciate its sole meaning and do not need the money, rice, or amenities.

However, those who are in need no doubt benefit from this evolving tradition.

Alternatively, those from Chiu Chau distribute rice to give relief to the poor, but also as an act of

charity from their ancestors who sold rice. This offers peace to those who sell it as well as those

who receive it, and in this way has a doubled positive effect.

Works Cited:

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedi. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Festival

Festivals. Retrieved from http://www.chinavoc.com/festivals/ghost.htm

Religion Facts. Retrieved from http://www.religionfacts.com/chinese_religion/holidays/ghost_festival.htm

Lbrown 7617’s blog. Retrieved from http://lbrown7617.wordpress.com/english-3/why-is-rice-so-important-

to-chinese- civilization

During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims worldwide are heavily involved in the act of charity (sadqa) and zakat (compulsory giving of alms). Giving of alms is one of the five pillars of Islam and is an important aspect in the lives of Muslims regardless of their social status. However, those who are more successful are likely to be largely involved with monetary donations where as others may simply donate their time.

For the past two summers, the Afghan Sponsorship Foundation (ASF) which is an NGO based out of California, has been contributing their time and services to the people of Kabul, the capital city in Afghanistan. Along with their yearly funding and program, ASF organizes an online fundraiser which they heavily promote through social media and encourage people to make monetary contributions on the internet out of the comfort of their own homes. They then use these funds to purchase basic necessities of living (primarily food, water, and hygiene products) for the neediest families. In order to determine who will be the recipient of their aid, ASF visits refugee camps, tent cities, and they also accept referrals from community members to help the poorest of the poor during Ramadan, so everybody has a meal to open their fast with. Their goal is simple “…Our goal as a foundation is to sponsor the youth of Afghanistan in order to guarantee they have equitable access to a quality education ”. Even though spending excessive time distributing aid is a threat to the lives of these young workers, they are so empowered to give back to their communities and build future leaders who they hope will continue this work.

By providing food and clean water, ASF is improving the lives of these aid recipients by reducing hunger of the children in the families, enabling them to be somewhat ready to receive an education. Children who may have never had the opportunity or hope to sit in a classroom now have the chance of improving their lives by going to school on a full stomach and being able to learn. Educating these young and very capable children encourages Afghanis to develop leaders and compassionate community members who will also contribute their time and effort to the communities that raised them together.

The work of the ASF team is a year round effort, with a specific emphasis on the importance of raising funds during Ramadan because many Muslims are both needier and more giving during this holy month. The importance of giving is highlighted in the Holy Qura’an in Surah Tauba (The Repentance):

Zakah expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed to collect [zakah] and for bringing hearts together [for Islam] and for freeing captives [or slaves] and for those in debt and for the cause of Allah and for the [stranded] traveler – an obligation [imposed] by Allah . And Allah is Knowing and Wise.
Ultimately this is an amazing victory for all. The board members and executive team of ASF are able to carry out the work of their organization and feel good knowing they are doing good, the donors are fulfilling their religious (Islamic) obligations, and the recipients of the aid are able to open their fasts, and eat well during Ramadan. If a specific family has been sponsored, they then receive a monthly basket with enough necessities to get them through the month and keep their children who are in school- on a full stomach. By providing meals, ASF is in essence sponsoring these children to have promising futures so they too can give back to their homeland.

Works Cited

Afghan Sponsorhip Foundation- our mission. (2012). Retrieved September/22, 2012, from http://www.afesf.org/our-mission/

Holy Qura’an. Surah Tauba (The Repentance). Retrieved from http://quran.com/9/60-60

Charity is a cornerstone of Islam. Along with spiritual kindness and compassion toward humanity, charity is a way of bringing forth justice to society. During Ramadan, charity takes on significant importance in the lives of Egyptians and this holy month is the most special occasion of the year. Rather than continuing to wait for the government to eradicate poverty in Egypt, citizens take individual action to boost positive, communal change, and Ramadan is the perfect catalyst for such a cause (ElNabawi, 2012). For Muslims around the world, the holy month of Ramadan is a time when people fast between dawn and sunset, perform more prayers, read more Qur’an, give more sadaqah (voluntary charity), and worship more than at any other time during the year. Although they perform the same types of worship in the same way, traditions vary from one country to another. In some parts of the country, particularly in large cities like Cairo, social solidarity is expressed in the form of “charity banquets” or “charity corners”. Wealthy Egyptians such as businessmen pay their Zakat (annual almsgiving) by providing food for the poor and passers-by who cannot afford the means to break their fast. Every street corner has tables and chairs set up with free food for those in need (Ramadan in Egypt: Lanterns of Light). There are two main forms of charity practiced during the holy month — obligatory (zakah al-fitr) and voluntary (sadaqah). Sadaqah requires Muslims to give food to the poor at the end of Ramadan, before the Eid prayers so that everyone is able to celebrate the festival of breaking the fast (ElNabawi, 2012).

The concept of giving and philanthropy has evolved in Egypt through time; patterns of giving have been documented since the Pharaonic Era and I believe it is important to note the ancient Egyptians beliefs of life after death and how those beliefs were based on philanthropic values and concepts of charity similar to Western traditions. Ancient Egyptian rulers and nobles gave to the poor in an effort to please the gods and to help ensure a blissful afterlife; all ancient Egyptians believed in the afterlife and spent their entire lives preparing for it by building elaborate tombs, worshipping the gods (i.e. by providing their statues with food and drink), and helping the less fortunate in order to ensure that their good deeds out-weighed the bad when it came time for judgment. It is also important to note that one of the highest deities worshipped was the goddess Ma’at, who was the goddess of truth, morality, and justice who kept the universe from chaos. Her role was weighing the souls in the underworld to determine if they were fit for a successful afterlife, and for this reason Pharaohs and citizens made sure to commit good deeds of charity and attain a clean soul. Much like in ancient Egypt, religion still plays an essential part in modern Egypt and their philanthropic values and patterns of giving.

Works Cited
http://www.islamic-relief.com/ramadan/Ramadan-Egypt.aspx http://learningtogive.org/papers/paper42.html

http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/articles/egypt/Egyptian-Afterlife-Beliefs/3182

http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/gift-giving

http://www.philanthrocapitalism.net/bonus-chapters/ancient-giving/

This symbol of Sikh philanthropy, and in fact the founding of Sikhism, dates back as far as the 1480’s, when the first Guru Nanak Dev was sent to town as a teenager with money provided by his father in search of a worthy investment. To his father’s dismay, Guru Nanak stumbled across a group of emaciated and shivering men in great need of food and clothing. He ventured to the nearest market and used all of his money to purchase food and blankets for the less fortunate.

Guru Nanak had always questioned the use of money for selfish reasons, other than to help those less fortunate and clearly in need. He marveled at how families could desert their loved ones and leave them to live in such terrible conditions.

This was around the time that the birth of the Langar took place. A Langar is an open/common kitchen where food is prepared and served to anyone in need. These kitchens are found inside every Gurdwara (Sikh place of worship), and in modern day can be found operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Guru wanted to create a community of gathering, no matter the sex, age, religion, creed or social status of its patrons. During this particular period of time, people of varying religions or castes were never seen taking or sharing food and water with someone of a different religion. This fact alone points to the immensity of the movement started by the first Guru.
Sikh families devote much of their time providing service to their community and those around them, preparing and serving food on a daily basis. Known as Sewadars, it is routine for one or more families to commit to this service of Langar, and in some of the largest Sikh temples preparation can take place for as many as 50,000 to 70,000 meals daily. While Sikh’s have an obligation through religion to donate 1/10 of their earnings towards their community, it is more highly regarded to donate service to Langar. This type of service is also thought to teach etiquette of sitting together as a community for meals.

There are some very specific requirements that must take place for a truly sacred Langar. Meals are to be simple vegetarian dishes, preparation must take place while reciting Gurbani (a prayer), all food is to be shared without prejudice and all food must be hygienically prepared. During preparation of the food, the mouth and nose of the Sewadars must be covered with a cloth knows as a “parna”. Upon completion of the food preparation, small portions of each item are put on a dish and placed in front of Sri Guru Granth Sahib (a juristic person) and a prayer is then performed. Once blessed, the individual dishes are then returned to their original pots, thus passing on the blessing to those who consume the food. As these individuals sit as one on the floor, they savor the meals together and dismiss any social status between them.

Works Cited:

http://www.sikhwiki.org/index.php/Langar

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langar_(Sikhism)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_Nanak

Zoroastrianism is thought by many scholars to be the world’s oldest monotheistic religion.

Founded by Zoroaster (also known as Zarathustra) in approximately 1500 BCE, Zoroastrianism was

the principle faith of the ancient Persian empire, which, while centered on the territory now

occupied by modern-day Iran, stretched at its acme from northern Africa and the Middle East to

China. In the 10th century CE, as Islam swept central Asia, many Iranian Zoroastrians fled to India,

where they settled in Gujarat. These Indian Zoroastrians became known as the Parsis. (“Parsi” is

Gujarati for Persian.)

The Parsis are renowned over the world for their robust philanthropic tradition. Indeed,

“Parsi, thy name is charity” is a common saying in India which dates back to the British Raj. Parsi

philanthropy encompasses individual giving as well as institutional giving, and the tradition is

rooted in the tenets of the Parsis’ Zoroastrian faith as well as in the unique set of social forces that

influenced the early development of their community in India.

Zoroastrians worship one God they call Ahura Mazda, a being they take to be all-knowing,

all-powerful, and perfectly good. Zoroastrians believe that Zoroaster was Ahura Mazda’s prophet

and that his, Zoroaster’s, central teaching can be summarized as follows: “Think good thoughts,

speak good words, and do good deeds.” Thus, charity is one of the religion’s fundamental tenets.

There are at least two reasons for this, both stemming from Zoroastrian views of good and evil.

First, Zoroastrians hold that poverty and suffering are evil at work in the world. While humans are

taken to be children or servants of God in other monotheistic faiths, Zoroastrians believe that

humanity must work in active partnership with God to remove these evils. Second, while other

religions often deplore wealth and its pursuit—think of the Christian Gospels on how difficult it is

for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven!—Zoroastrianism regards wealth as a good, so long

as it is acquired fairly and used righteously. The view that we must work with God to eliminate

evil thus comes together with a positive outlook on wealth to encourage a philanthropic

commitment on the part of Parsis.

Social factors have also played a role in Parsi philanthropy. Christian missionaries in India

began building schools in the 1800s. Seeking to ensure a place for their children outside of these

missionary schools, the Parsis responded with an ambitious, charity-driven program of school

construction. The Parsi Benevolent Association, founded by Jamsetjee Jeejeeboy in 1849, built 21

schools. So successful were these efforts that by 1901 the literacy rate for Parsi males was almost

88 percent and for females was 63 percent (p.213). This tradition continued with the work of Parsi

industrialist Jamsetji Tata, who established the J. N. Tata Endowment Scheme for Higher Education

in 1892 as well as a host of other philanthropic ventures. The business enterprises Tata founded

play to this day a leading role in Indian and global philanthropy.

The roots of Parsi giving go back a long way. Just how long can be guessed by the

distinction between three kinds of charity drawn by Aturput Mahraspand, High Priest to Shapur II,

King of the Sasanian Persian empire from 309 to 379 CE: giving without being asked; giving

immediately on being asked or required; and giving when one has promised one would give. He

stressed, too, that charity is good when one expects nothing in return, certainly not personal gain or

fame. Even today one of the first prayers a Zoroastrian child learns is the Yatha Ahu Vairyo: “He

who gives assistance to the poor acknowledges the kingdom of God.”

Works Cited

BBC, “Zoroastrianism at a Glance.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/zoroastrian/ataglance/glance.shtml. Accessed January 31, 2012.

Chothia, Fali S. “Getting to Know the Zoroastrians.” The Zoroastrian Association of Metropolitan

Washington, Inc. http://www.zamwi.org/religion/Getting.html. Accessed January 31, 2012.

BBC, “The Parsis.” http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/zoroastrian/history/parsis.shtml. Accessed

January 31, 2012.

Dadrawala, Noshir H. “Parsi They Name Is Charity.” Parsis, Iranis, Zarathushtis—ALL Under One Roof.

http://zoroastrians.net/2011/08/17/parsi-charity-and-philanthropy/. Accessed January 31, 2012.

BBC, “Zoroastrian Beliefs about God.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/zoroastrian/beliefs/god.shtml. Accessed January 31, 2012.

BBC, “Humanity in Zoroastrianism.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/zoroastrian/beliefs/humanity.shtml. Accessed January 31, 2012.

Rose, Jenny. Zoroastrianism: An Introduction. I. B. Tauris, 2011.

Wikipedia, “Shapur II.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shapur_II. Accessed on

January 31, 2012.