Disability-Isnt-Inability

Who Remembers Africa’s Givers? “How do we remember African givers and philanthropists?” @LeandreBanon and I wondered aloud. We had just stopped at a World War memorial cemetery during our #WalkTalkConnect through Accra. The grounds were beautifully maintained. Rows of headstones stood in remembrance of those who had lost their lives in war. Elsewhere at the memorial, names were carefully inscribed on a wall. We paused for a moment of silence. Standing there, I was struck by the care taken to preserve the memory of those who had gone before us. Their names had been recorded. Their contributions acknowledged. A place had been set aside to remember them. And that got us thinking about African givers and philanthropists. Across Africa, we have long traditions of generosity. People have given money, land, food, time, knowledge and care. They have educated children, built institutions, supported neighbours and sustained entire communities. Some of these givers are well known. Many others are not. Their generosity may never have made headlines, but it changed lives. And in many cases, its impact continues long after they are gone. So how do we remember them? How do we preserve their stories and ensure that future generations know about them? Of course, Africans have always had ways of remembering. Through oral histories, family stories, songs, community traditions and institutions that carry the names of those who came before us. But how intentional are we about documenting these histories? How accessible are they? And how many stories are disappearing as the generations that carry them pass on? I have been thinking a great deal about the importance of documenting African giving. Not only the generosity of wealthy and prominent philanthropists, but also the everyday acts of giving that have shaped our families and communities. Memory matters. It tells us something about who we are, what we value and what we choose to pass on. Standing at that memorial, I wondered what an African book of remembrance for givers and philanthropists might look like. Whose names would it carry? Whose stories would it tell? And who would be responsible for keeping those memories alive? We can begin with the stories closest to us. Whose generosity do you remember? And who is telling their story? #WalkTalkConnect #AfricanPhilanthropy #StoriesOfGenerosity @CivLegacy_F @CivsourceAfrica