This report from Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) in partnership with the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), CS Mott Foundation and the UK National Lottery Community Fund, looks at individual giving, the enabling environment and challenges for civil society in three East African countries – Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
The report estimates that if the world’s middle classes were to give just 0.5% of their spending – less than the average UK household and about the same as people in the Republic of Korea – that could amount to $319 billion in resources for civil society organisations (CSOs) annually by 2030.
Harnessing the power of mass giving could release unprecedented resources to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and tackle poverty, disease and many other social and environmental problems. But it would do much more than that. Growing domestic giving means giving money but it also means volunteering, sharing skills and advocacy. It would produce essential unrestricted funds for domestic NGOs, a healthy balance between local, regional and international organisations, and public engagement which would strengthen organised civil society, and strengthen democracy with it.
