In Kevin Marsh’s piece on Africa’s science funding gap published in Quartz earlier this month, he cites African philanthropy and philanthropists as potential sources of funding for scientific research. He poses the question, “Will there ever be an African equivalent of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation?” It’s a query that merits a considered response.
The sources of philanthropy in Africa are more diverse than its handful of certified individual billionaires. Communal, corporate and religious giving, and foreign remittances are all considerable sources of philanthropy in Africa. Forms of philanthropy in Africa are also diverse and not just monetary. Africans give money, but also time and resources like clothing and food items whose cumulative value is unknown.
Read more: Philanthropic Foundations and African Giving, Titilope Ajayi, NPQ .
