African philanthropy has been in the news recently, with the January 30th 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. 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 Africa, 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.”

“A smile is the light in your window that tells others that there is a caring, sharing person inside.” – Denis Waitley

South Africa is a nation with a rich history of philanthropy. Many charities in South Africa are based around the idea of Ubuntu. Ubuntu is a word used to describe the notion that a person cannot exist without the help of their community; “I am; because of you” (May). Although the concept of Ubuntu has been around for centuries, it was introduced to the Western world in the 1990’s through the writings of Cape Town archbishop Desmond Tutu. Nelson Mandela was asked to define Ubuntu in a 2006 interview where he described it as being a traveler passing through a village and not having to ask for food or water because, just by stopping in a village, the villagers would give him the nourishment that he needed (May). Ubuntu reminds me of the saying “It takes a village to raise a child” in the sense that if a child is to grow and mature they will need the help of family and friends, teachers and principals, doctors and many other members of their community. The child will be because of the help of these people, Ubuntu.

The Smile Foundation is one of many South African charities that are based on the concept of Ubuntu. Started in 2000 as the Smile Fund, it came about when a parent wrote many letters to Nelson Mandela asking for his help to send their child overseas for Facial Reanimation surgery to correct the child’s facial paralysis (“How Smile Foundation Began” 2014). The Lubner family became involved and saw a potential for growth in the South African medical community. They brought the doctors who were performing these surgeries to South Africa to train South African doctors so that other children could benefit from the cosmetic procedure (“How Smile Foundation Began” 2014). The non-profit organization was renamed in 2013 as the Smile Foundation. Working with many South African doctors and nurses, the Smile Foundation literally puts smiles on the faces of children (“How Smile Foundation Began” 2014). They are allowing these children the gift to enjoy their childhood without being teased and tormented for their physical appearance. Because of this, I believe the Smile Foundation embodies the idea of Ubuntu. In a world that puts so much emphasis on physical beauty, these children would probably not be able to blossom to their full potential if not for the work of this foundation. They are saving the children from a lifetime of being teased and bullied, therefore helping them build their self-esteem and one day growing up to be successful adults.
Ubuntu has helped to make South Africa a better place. This concept of philanthropy was the basis to the Smile Foundation and who knows how many other South African charities. All nations should adopt the concept of Ubuntu: “I am; because of you.” People would be more inclined to give if they saw their donation as a thank you for all the work the community has done for them.

Works Cited
How smile foundation began. (2014). The Smile Foundation. Retrieved September 22, 2014, from http://www.smilefoundationsa.org/about-us/how-smile-foundation-began/
May, K.T. (2013, December 9). I am, because of you: Further reading on Ubuntu. Tedblog. Retrieved September 22, 2014 from http://blog.ted.com/2013/12/09/further-reading-on-ubuntu/

“No man is an island, entire of itself. Each is a piece of a continent, a part of the main. Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind”
​~ Reverend John Donne (in Wanless, 2007)

South Africa is home to nearly 50 million people and is often referred as the “rainbow nation”, because of its rich cultural, linguistic, and religious diversity (Murithi, 2009). Colonization, followed by years of apartheid, has forced South Africans to live with violence, inequality, displacement, and extreme poverty (Muthien, 2008). Nevertheless, South African culture and traditions are rich with practices of giving that are informed by an alternative worldview and challenge western definitions of philanthropy.

Unlike western cultures, which are based primarily on Descartes’ philosophy ‘I think, therefore I am’, the worldview of many Africans, particularly in the sub-Sahara, is focused on the concept of ubuntu, or the mindset that ‘I am because we are’ (Lewis, 2010; Metz & Gaie, 2010; Muthien, 2008; Ramose, 2010; Wanless, 2007). For many South Africans, ubuntu is the essence of being human. It reinforces the importance of a shared way of life within the community and prescribes a moral obligation to help others (Metz & Gaie 2010). According to Desmond Tutu, a person becomes a person when he/she posses ubuntu, which is achieved by being generous, hospitable, friendly, caring, compassionate and sharing what they have with others (in Lewis, 2010 & Murithi, 2009). That is not to say that in order to achieve ubuntu a person must disregard themselves, but rather that enabling and improving the community is an important part of life for which you will be appreciated (Mandela, 2006).

Given that much of South African culture is based the concept of ubuntu, it is not unusual to find neighbours helping each another with food or fuel to make a fire, a practice that is not as common among those raised the ‘I’ orientation of life (Ramose, 2010). This is a prime example of the type of giving and philanthropic practices that are widespread among the majority of South Africa’s citizens. While this type of giving does not necessarily conform to western definitions of philanthropy, it does demonstrate the ubuntu worldview, which advocates relationships in the community, the need to be generous, and the importance of helping others.

The results of a national survey commission by the Centre for Civil Society (CCS) also illustrate the influence of the ubuntu worldview on South African giving practices and the disconnect between western and South African forms of philanthropy. The results of this study revels that, unlike common western assumptions that giving occurs primarily among the rich and is a voluntary act, giving in South Africa is not unilinear from the rich to the poor and is often influenced by patterns of family obligation and reciprocity, that extend eyond the nuclear family (Everett, Habib, Maharaj & Nyar, 2005). In fact, the majority of giving in South Africa occurs in poor communities through informal networks, in the form of money, goods and time. Examples of this include stokvels, which are community based rotating credit circles, and burial societies, that pool resources to transport the dead back to their place of birth for funerals (Everett et. al., 2005). Regardless of what form they take, giving practices in South Africa are heavily influenced by the concept of ubuntu and challenge western definitions of philanthropy.

Works Citied

Everatt, D., Hanbib A., Maharaj B., & Nyar, A. (2005) Patterns of Giving in South Africa.
​International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, 16(3), 275-291.

Lewis, B. (2010). Forging an Understanding of Black Humanity through Relationship:
​An Ubuntu Perspective. Black Theology: An International Journal 8(1), 69-85.

Mandela, N. (2006). The Ubuntu Experience, an interview with Tim Modise .
​Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODQ4WiDsEBQ

Metz, T. & Gaie, J. (2010). The African Ethic of Ubuntu/Botho: Implications for
​Research on Morality. Journal of Moral Education 39(3), 273-290.

Murithi, T. (2009). An African Perspective on Peace Education: Ubuntu Lessons in
​Reconciliation. International Review of Education 55, 221-233.

Muthien, B. (2008). Egalitarianism and Nonviolence: Gifts of the Khoe-San. Off Our
​Backs 38(1), 57-61.

Ramose, M.B. (2010) The Death of Democracy and the Resurrection of Timocracy.
​Journal of Moral Education 39(3), 291-303.

Wanless, D. (2007). Ubuntu – We All Belong to Each Other. International
​Congregational Journal 7(1), 117-119.

Today South Africa (SA) is considered “the second-most charitable country, behind the United States.” In the post-Apartheid era wealthy South Africans have become both “Benefactor” and “Volunteer” donors – giving time and money to charities.

The reasons philanthropists in SA give, are varied. However, a belief in the African philosophy of ‘ubuntu’ is said to underlay the need to give. A strong sense of community pervades the philosophy of ubuntu and culture of giving in SA. However, the divide between the rich and poor is also a driving force behind philanthropy in the country.

The drivers of philanthropy in SA are complex, “(t)hey go from plain guilt to wanting to uplift the economy, and knowing that the only way to get people working, participating and out of poverty, is to care for your fellow human being.”

The philosophy of ubuntu is not new to the African continent. The idea that “I am because you are and you are because I am” has existed as a collective conscience long before the Colonialists arrived with their divide and conquer ideologies. The very definition of ubuntu exudes a sense of charity and well-being which, over the years, has fostered various forms of philanthropy and giving at all levels of society.

Ubuntu is known by various names in different African countries: in Botswana it is ‘botho’; in Zimbabwe, ‘unhu’; in Malawi, ‘uMunthu’, to name only a few. Regardless of its name, most African nations abide by the spirit which ubuntu embodies and that is of humanness and humanity.

Viewing the concept of ubuntu through a philanthropic lens the picture is one of a culture that promotes communalism and interdependence. It is in SA where the philosophy of ubuntu took on its greatest challenge – Apartheid. However, it was also this ‘challenge’ which helped to resurrect the culture of ubuntu by recognizing that reconciliation was a key facet of the philosophy.

It was in 1995 that SA decided to deal with its colonial past by setting up the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). The idea of the TRC was to allow victims of gross human rights abuses under the Apartheid regime to tell their stories while facing their accused. Consequently, the perpetrators of the violence were offered amnesty for their crimes in return for full disclosure of the atrocities they committed. The world watched with incredulity as the public hearings unfolded: How could anyone forgive such inhumanity?

Archbishop Desmond Tutu credits the culture of ubuntu with the grace South Africans needed to forgive their abusers. The TRC was touted as a way for SA to heal old wounds and move towards its future. It is this resilience that prompted “SA and most other African countries (to) publicly (declare) the 21st century as the century for renewal and advancement of the African continent so that African countries become active and competitive players on the global stage.”

Through all of its trials, SA has definitely become “a competitive player” on the philanthropic global stage. However, there are concerns in SA that ubuntu will be commercialized, consumed and pervaded by companies and organizations looking to capitalize on its philosophy. Being conscious of this could go a long way when looking to secure donations from philanthropists in the country.

Ubuntu is an indigenous South African philosophy that recognizes there is an interconnection between all people and no one person exists in isolation. Every interaction with a person is an opportunity to explore our humanity (Kamwangamalu, Nkonko M. (1999). Ubuntu in South Africa: a sociolinguistic perspective to a Pan –African concept.) At the core of this philosophy is the desire for all persons to live a life that can bring positive change to other people in their family, community, village, city or country.

The history of ubuntu was not scribed like the Torah, etched like Egyptian hieroglyphics or written like the Bible. It is indigenous in nature and its legacy is passed from generation to generation in song, story telling and proverb. The essence of ubuntu is philanthropic because it encourages acts of kindness, generosity and compassion. Ironically, the word philanthropy does not have a direct English translation in any of the eleven official languages of South Africa.

The importance of ubuntu in South African culture is made apparent in the White Paper for Social Welfare published in Pretoria, August 1997. The document sets-out the principles, guidelines, recommendations, proposed policies and programs for developmental social welfare in the new democratic post-apartheid South Africa.

Ubuntu is listed in the White Paper as part of the National Developmental Social Welfare Strategy (The White Paper for Social Welfare 1991, Department of Social Welfare, Chapter 2, Point 24). In the White Paper for Social Welfare ubuntu is explained as a spirit of mutual support and a principle of caring among all people.

The document goes on to explain that every person must take on both the rights and responsibilities necessary for individual and societal change. It also fosters the belief that respect and humanity must be reciprocal in all relationships between people in order to have a just society.

An example of how this benevolent philosophy is expressed in current day South Africa is found in organizations like the Ubuntu Institute and Ubuntu Mission.

The Ubuntu Institute (www.ubuntuinstitute.com) located in Guateng, South Africa offers programs to eradicate poverty, promote gender equality and empowerment of women, provide access to education, and promote environmental sustainability. One of the key programs offered at the Institute endeavors to promote the prevention of HIV/AIDs through behavioral change at the community level, individual level and political level. Prevention of HIV/AIDs is a worldwide issue and it is one of the foremost health related concerns in South Africa. All of the programs are driven by cultural and indigenous values that reflect the philosophy of ubuntu. Individuals who participate in the programs are in a position to bring positive change to themselves and to their community.

Ubuntu Mission (www.ubuntumission.org) offers educational opportunities to people who wish to develop business and leadership skills. The graduates of the Mission program can use their skills and knowledge to benefit their community and increase the economic prosperity of the country.

The philosophy of ubuntu is deeply woven in to the fabric of the South African people and continues to play a significant role in the country’s vision for the future (Smith, Barry, 2006, Building a culture of giving and “social justice philanthropy” in South Africa.). “It is the essence of being human. It speaks of the fact that my humanity is caught up and is inextricably bound up in yours. I am human because I belong.” (Tutu, Archbishop Desmond, 1999, No Future Without Forgiveness).

Works Cited

Kamwangamalu, Nkonko M. (1999). Ubuntu in South Africa: a sociolinguistic perspective to a Pan –African concept.

Smith, Barry (2006). Building a culture of giving and “social justice philanthropy” in South Africa.

The White Paper for Social Welfare (1997). Department of Welfare, Republic of South Africa.

Tutu, Archbishop Desmond (1999). No future without forgiveness.

The Ubuntu Institute www.ubuntuinstitute.com

The Ubuntu Mission www.ubuntumission.org