ABSTRACT
Philanthropic activity in Africa is often masked by Western conceptions of “philanthropy”. There is an informality to African philanthropy, which is embedded in daily life, whereas Western philanthropy tends to flow from structured, and often institutionalized, giving. Governments of African nations and African nongovernmental organizations have secured resources from Western foundations that have prioritized global giving. TrustAfrica’s mission is “to strengthen African initiatives that address the most difficult challenges confronting the continent”. A commitment to inclusion is reflected in TrustAfrica’s institutional composition and structure. The staff at TrustAfrica truly understand the challenges that are on the ground. While TrustAfrica is designed to invest across the continent, there are only so many areas in which the foundation could have had a meaningful impact since its foundation. Indigenous foundations like TrustAfrica carry numerous benefits – they are local, known and trusted within a community and are able to fund areas that are often overlooked by other Foundations but undeniably important.
