Reclaiming the Heart of African Giving: Lessons from Akan Adɔyɛ
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“This article is curated from Understanding Indigenous Philanthropy in Ghana from an Akan Perspective by Nana Asantewa Afadzinu, a thesis submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management at the University of the Witwatersrand in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy”.
For decades, the global understanding of philanthropy has largely been shaped by Western traditions. In this dominant view, philanthropy is often defined as wealthy individuals voluntarily giving money to support the poor or fund social causes. Giving is framed as generosity. It is usually measured in financial terms. It is often separated from everyday life.
However, the indigenous practices of the Akan people of Ghana offer a very different and deeply rooted understanding of giving. Within Akan society, philanthropy is not an occasional act of charity. It is a moral way of living. It is embedded in identity, relationships, spirituality, and community survival. This philosophy is captured in the word adɔyɛ.
Understanding adɔyɛ invites us to rethink what philanthropy truly means in Africa.
Love Made Visible Through Action
At its core, adɔyɛ means love expressed through concrete action. It is not simply a feeling. It is something demonstrated through care, responsibility, and mutual support.
In Akan thought, giving is not reserved for the wealthy. Every person, regardless of status or income, is expected to contribute to the well-being of others. A person may not have money, but they may offer time, labour, advice, protection, or emotional support.
This makes philanthropy inclusive. It removes hierarchy. It avoids the separation between “donor” and “beneficiary”. In Akan society, one is never permanently one or the other. Life moves in cycles. Today you give; tomorrow you may receive.
This cyclical understanding creates dignity. It ensures that receiving help is not a source of shame, because everyone participates in the same moral system.
The Philosophy Behind Giving
The foundation of adɔyɛ is Akan humanism. This worldview teaches that a person’s well-being depends on other people. A well-known Akan maxim states: “Onipa yieye firi onipa,” a person’s well-being comes from other people.
This belief challenges the idea of radical individualism. The self is not isolated. Identity is relational. One becomes fully human through participation in community life.
Two core principles sustain this philosophy:
- Reciprocal Obligation
Giving is reciprocal. The Akan proverb says: The right hand washes the left, and the left washes the right. Mutual care is necessary to survive and thrive.
Giving is also not optional. It is a moral responsibility. This obligation does not operate through written contracts. It is enforced by shared values, cultural norms, and the desire to maintain harmony.
- Transitive Reciprocity
The return on giving is not always immediate or direct. A person may support a relative in education today, and years later, that support strengthens the entire family. The benefit may return through a different person or at a different time. What is given back may also differ from what was given, thereby providing relevant support as needed.
This creates long-term social insurance. It builds resilience into the fabric of society.
A Different Model
Western philanthropy often categorises giving as either horizontal (peer-to-peer) or vertical (wealthy-to-poor). Akan philanthropy does not fit neatly into these categories.
It is better described as circular. Social and economic positions change over time, but the practice of giving remains constant. The circle continues.
This circular system is sustained by strong indigenous institutions:
- The Family (Abusua): The extended family serves as the first line of protection. It supports members in times of illness, unemployment, education needs, and funerals.
- The Community: Communal labour and mutual aid practices ensure shared responsibility for farming, building, and maintaining social infrastructure.
- Traditional leaders: Chiefs and Queenmothers act as custodians of land, culture, and collective welfare. They are expected to redistribute resources and protect the vulnerable.
These are not informal or accidental systems. They are structured, disciplined, and deeply embedded in social life.
The Spiritual and Environmental Dimension
Akan philanthropy also includes a spiritual dimension often absent from modern philanthropic discussions. The community includes the living, the ancestors, and those yet to be born. Giving, therefore, transcends time and space.
Festivals and rituals, such as offerings during sacred periods, express gratitude and seek protection. These practices reinforce the idea that generosity maintains cosmic balance.
Environmental care is also philanthropic. Rivers, forests, and land are respected as sacred trusts. Taboos against pollution or over-extraction are not merely ecological regulations. They are moral commitments to future generations.
In this way, adɔyɛ extends beyond human relationships to include the natural and spiritual world.
Decolonising African Philanthropy
Colonial and post-colonial narratives often dismissed indigenous African systems as informal or underdeveloped. Western models became the benchmark of proper philanthropy.
Yet the Akan example, replicated in several African cultures, reveals a mature and coherent system grounded in ethics, reciprocity, and long-term sustainability.
Reclaiming African philanthropy requires several shifts:
- Recognising indigenous institutions as legitimate and structured systems.
- Measuring success not only by money given, but by strengthened relationships and community dignity.
- Supporting modern expressions of affinity-based giving, including diaspora networks.
- Integrating indigenous principles into contemporary civil society practice.
- Re-centring love in philanthropy.
This is not about rejecting global models. It is about restoring balance and valuing African knowledge.
The Deeper Lesson
The lesson of adɔyɛ is profound. Philanthropy is not primarily about surplus wealth. It is about moral identity. It is about sustaining community life.
In a world marked by inequality, fragmentation, and loneliness, the Akan philosophy offers a reminder: giving is not an event. It is a condition of belonging. It is a way of being.
Africa does not need to import a definition of philanthropy. It already possesses one rooted in history, culture, and human dignity.
Adɔyɛ shows that philanthropy is not simply about what we give. It is about who we are and how we live together.
About the author
Charles Kojo Vandyck is a dynamic development practitioner and thought leader who is driving transformative change within civil society. As a Founding Member of the prestigious International Consortium on Closing Civic Space (iCon), spearheaded by the renowned Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Charles is at the forefront of transforming citizen participation worldwide. With positions as a Trustee of INTRAC and an Advisory Board Member of Disrupt Development, he is shaping the future from Oxford to Amsterdam. Charles's remarkable contributions continue as a Core Team Member of the game-changing Reimagining INGOs (RINGO) initiative and as the Head of the Capacity Development Unit at the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI). Recognised by the Development Studies Association, Charles is also a certified Change the Game Academy Master Trainer and an IFC-Learning and Performance Institute Trainer. Prepare to be inspired by Charles as he paves the way for a more resilient, sustainable, and empowered civil society.
