Kenya Ranked As The Most Generous Country In Africa

World Giving Index by Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), an international charity organisation has ranked Kenya as the most generous country in Africa and the 11th most generous in the world.

”In Kenya, more than half of people donated money to charity,” part of the report said.

The generosity study covers 10 years from 2009 and involves sampled surveys of 1.3 million people in more than 125 countries.

Kenya is the only country in Africa which appeared in the top 20 list of most generous. In Africa, Nigeria came second and Zambia third and they took positions 22 and 52 respectively in the global list.

Worthy to note also, Kenya was also named among the most improved countries overall, having increased its index score by an average of 19 points.

The report about Kenya being ranked Africa’s most generous country has not come as a shocker as Kenya is known for its spirit of generosity and selfless giving and which has been captured and documented so many times.

Several Kenyans have raised the Kenyan flag high with their generosity acts. A recent case is the one for Peter Tabichi which got global coverage. The 36-year-old selfless teacher who won the 2019 Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize wowed many by his noble act; giving 80 per cent of his salary to help needy students in his school.

Kenyans’ generosity is mostly depicted when there is a ‘crisis’ normally highlighted through the media. Whenever a case is aired involving a sick person needing help, Kenyans always contribute in large numbers.

A scenario that came out as the ‘epitome’ of selflessness is the one for “Kenyans for Kenya” a known initiative started in July 2011 by corporate leaders and the Red Cross in response to media reports of famine and deaths from starvation in Turkana. Through the initiative, Kenyans raised Ksh 1 Bn to support fellow Kenyans who were starving due to the drought that had persisted.

Evidence to prove the generosity and big-heartedness of Kenyans are numerous. The deep-rooted culture of giving was borne out of the Harambee culture initiated by Kenya’s first president Jomo Kenyatta.

Harambee is a Kiswahili word meaning ‘pulling together’ calling for the spirit of self-help amongst Kenyans. The country was built on a spirit of “Harambee” which appreciates the power of coming together. Through this same spirit of togetherness, numerous development projects have been initiated and accomplished.

Featured Image Courtesy: Unicef