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At a remarkable gathering in Lake Naivasha, Kenya and a defining moment for philanthropy, 100 African feminists, women’s funds and philanthropists gathered last month for an Indaba. Two hours’ drive from the capital Nairobi, the Indaba – a Zulu term for an important conference– could prove a defining moment for philanthropy. Charles Keidan reports.

Who gets to decide the philanthropy agenda – the dominant set of ideas, narratives and resources which shape not just philanthropy but the conversation about philanthropy?

Philanthropy is intrinsically linked to ideology – about how the world works, about belief systems, about the role of philanthropy itself. Accordingly, transforming the system of institutional philanthropy demands an ideological underpinning, not just a practice-based one. The last few years have seen several narratives around philanthropic transformation emerge. This paper reflects on these in relation to African philanthropic narratives, explores some of the tensions and the changes in the institutional philanthropy field, and identifies some implications for how these play out on the African continent.