On September 30th, 2021, we held the second Gathering of Givers, this time as an East African event. The theme, Big, Bold, Brave: Building a Philanthropy Movement. We told stories and showcased initiatives and practices of local giving which embodied those three elements. In the process, our desire was to inspire ‘bigness’, boldness, and bravery among givers to appreciate the power within them to change their community, nation, region and eventually, this continent. The objectives of this year’s Gathering of Givers were to Educate, Inspire and Mobilise.
These objectives meant raising awareness of the different kinds and shades of givers in East Africa, inspiring, rallying and celebrating new and experienced givers to continue the practice of African Philanthropy. The Gathering featured addresses and stories from givers in private businesses, young givers, civil society organisations and foundations. We shared stories of impact on both the giver and the community.
The Gathering of Givers was livestreamed via the CivSource Africa’s YouTube via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bu6XfnAgtjI and Facebook channels bringing together an audience of 730 givers in the region to recognize, mobilize and celebrate local giving.
The keynote address was a conversational one delivered by Executive Director UNAIDS Winnie Byanyima and Irwin Fernandez Chief, Global Individual Giving UNICEF.
In our continued efforts to shape narratives and build a body of knowledge on African Philanthropy, we launched a book, Our Generous Spirit: Symbols and Expressions of Generosity in Uganda. The book is a pictorial documentation of the symbols and expressions of generosity from 14 regions in Uganda. As a precursor to the launch of the book, we also hosted an online photo exhibition titled ‘Ubuntu DNA