The Role of the Civil Society in Propelling African Philanthropy.
According to the World Bank, a Civil Society refers to non-governmental and not-for-profit organizations that have a presence in public life, expressing the interests and values of their members or others, based on ethical, cultural, political, scientific, religious or philanthropic considerations.
Over the years, before co-founding Volunteers For Kenya, an organisation aimed at developing financial sustainable projects within underserved communities, I volunteered with more than a handful of NGOs and CBOs. This move helped cement my passion for implementing sustainable solutions as part of community development.
However, through this experience, I identified three main challenges that plague this community; mismanagement of resources, poor documentation and inadequate data.
These factors hinder potential philanthropists from working with local indigenous bodies situated in the grassroots that are more knowledgeable on the needs of the people. It also discourages individuals from volunteering with these organisations due to lack of information on the various local initiatives present. This leads to loss of potential resources and funding for grassroot organisations.
Solution:
The formation of a civil society ecosystem that is transparent and accountable.
In the Kenyan context, such a body exists but it lacks the proper management and vision thus resulting in numerous inefficiencies. For an effective system to be achieved, steps must be taken in;
- creating a database that will list all the organisations present,
- developing a consistent impact reporting routine (for accountability) and
- facilitating transparency of all activities carried out under the organisation. This information can then be made public at the organization’s discretion.
But what would these reforms achieve?
First, I believe it would build a community of local volunteers. The presence of a database listing the local initiatives — their vision and mission, would provide a platform for fellow Africans to easily plug in and join the philanthropic movement. We currently live in a world where a majority of people from all over the world are more concerned with making an impact and are only seeking the perfect cause that has been proven trustworthy and accountable. Therefore, the presence of such a database will help to cultivate a volunteering culture opening up Africa to the philanthropy world.
Second, this approach will provide credibility to grassroot initiatives enabling organizations such as African Philanthropy Network and Giving Pledge that bring together a conglomerate of foundations and individual philanthropists, to have a larger array of organisations to sort through when seeking a credible cause to support. This will ensure that they work with resourceful and native men and women, resulting in the development of appropriate sustainable solutions that meet the needs of the people.
Lastly, the power of collaboration. With a database in place, replication of organisations with the same end goals that lead to inefficient use of resources will reduce. With collaboration, organisations can share information and support each other to ensure the end goal is attained. If organisations come together and focus on the bigger picture, which is to benefit and develop the people in the long run, a lot can be achieved. Data can be shared, funding synchronized and partnerships formed with the aim of promoting long lasting sustainable projects that will advance the society.
