Challenging the Myths: African citizens are giving more than the world thinks

Long before civil society was formalized into nonprofits or NGOs, African communities gave. They gave in crisis and celebration, in quiet acts of care and through loud calls to action.

 A landmark report from EPIC-Africa confirms that this tradition hasn’t disappeared—it has only been underestimated.

Based on responses from 838 civil society organizations (CSOs) across 46 countries, Challenging the Myths: Individual Giving for African Civil Society Organizations, released in 2024.

The report is by EPIC-Africa, in partnership with Change the Game Academyand finds finds that African citizens are not just recipients of aid. They are its funders—and often its most reliable ones.

A Backbone Hidden in Plain Sight

Individual giving is a primary force sustaining African CSOs. According to the report, 65% of the organizations surveyed receive direct financial contributions from individuals.

These gifts, though often modest, are regular and resilient—delivered through mobile money, community appeals, faith networks, and face-to-face relationships.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, 42% of surveyed CSOs reported a rise in local or community donations, even as many international funders paused or redirected support.

 These donations helped pay staff, sustain operations, and expand services at a time when flexibility was critical.

This support didn’t emerge out of nowhere. African giving is rooted in long-standing systems of mutual aid like Harambee in Kenya, Ubuntu in Southern Africa, and Esusu in West Africa.

Though these are rarely labelled as philanthropy in global discourse, they have functioned for generations as mechanisms of solidarity, pooling, and collective problem-solving.

Beyond the Village, Across Borders

Individual giving is not confined to local networks. Among the CSOs receiving donations from individuals, 56% said the support came from across their countries, not just from immediate communities.

A further 13% reported receiving donations from across the continent or from the diaspora.

These patterns reflect a deeper shift: people are giving not out of obligation but because they believe in specific causes or values.

Whether it’s a women’s rights organization in Senegal, an education project in Uganda, or a mental health initiative in Nigeria, support flows from those who recognize themselves in the mission, regardless of geography.

The diaspora also plays a strategic role.

Though contributing smaller percentages, diaspora donors tend to focus on education, health, and rights-based initiatives.

 Their giving is often highly intentional, shaped by a sense of duty, nostalgia, or advocacy.

Trust Over Tax Breaks

One of the most striking findings is that trust, not tax incentives, is the engine of individual giving.

Only 10% of CSOs said donors asked for receipts for tax exemption purposes.

In most countries surveyed, tax frameworks for charitable giving exist but are poorly understood or irrelevant to individual givers.

The organizations that do best with citizen support are those with staying power.

Nearly 70% of CSOs receiving individual donations have been operating for more than five years.

This reflects a logic rooted in visibility, consistency, and personal connection.

Donors aren’t swayed by branding—they give because they trust the people and the process.

Yet most CSOs are not equipped to cultivate this support systematically. Few have dedicated fundraising staff.

Only 20% use digital tools like donor management platforms or SMS fundraising systems.

Communications are often irregular, and donor engagement strategies are underdeveloped.

These gaps don’t signal a lack of interest—they show that the right investment in fundraising infrastructure is long overdue.

From Passive Recipients to Citizen Funders

The language around giving still centers on external donors, but EPIC-Africa’s report argues for a narrative shift.

Citizens are not simply audiences for impact—they are stakeholders financing the work.

This shift means recognizing the woman who sends a KES 200 weekly donation via M-Pesa as a philanthropist.

It means viewing grassroots supporters as partners, not just campaign targets.

It also means understanding that their expectations, often centered on transparency, respect, and community visibility, are just as important as those of international funders.

This re-centering of African citizens in the philanthropic conversation is not symbolic. It is strategic.

Local giving, when properly engaged, brings with it more flexibility, more legitimacy, and more rootedness than most formal grants can offer.

Four Actions That Could Change the Game

To unlock the full potential of individual giving in Africa, EPIC-Africa outlines four concrete recommendations:

• Invest in research and data on individual giving
  Understand who is giving, how much, how often, and through which channels. Data is key to building tailored strategies.
• Strengthen infrastructure for CSOs to engage individual givers
  This includes digital fundraising tools, donor tracking systems, staff capacity, and mobile payment integration.
• Amplify successful African examples.
  Share and document inspiring stories of CSOs that are already thriving through community support. This shifts the perception of what’s possible.
• Shift the narrative
  Reframe local giving as a powerful and legitimate form of philanthropy. Recognize African citizens as full participants in shaping civil society.

These are not lofty ideals—they are practical, grounded steps. And they matter.

Because when international funding shrinks or shifts priorities, local support is what remains. It’s also what builds long-term resilience.

Looking Inward, Moving Forward

EPIC-Africa’s data challenges many long-held assumptions. African giving isn’t a stopgap.

It’s a system. It is cultural, strategic, and highly responsive. It reflects agency, not dependency.

And yet, until it is counted, supported, and integrated into institutional thinking, it will remain underestimated.

The report makes one thing clear: African civil society is already being shaped—and funded—by African citizens.

The question now is whether policymakers, donors, and the sector itself are ready to follow where the people are already leading.