Community philanthropy as empowerment: Reclaiming agency through indigenous giving practices in Northern Ghana
This study examines the drivers, mechanisms and implications of community philanthropy in selected communities within the Sagnarigu Municipality of the Northern Region of Ghana. Through focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and in-depth analysis, the authors identified that community philanthropy is deeply embedded in socio-cultural norms, collective identity and shared aspirations for intergenerational well-being.
Indigenous financial systems, including village savings and loan associations (locally termed “susu” groups), communal labour practices and mutual aid networks, remain central to resource mobilization and social investment. While external development funding is perceived as complementary rather than substitutive to local efforts, the research reveals critical tensions around trust, accountability and power dynamics. Community members demonstrate a sophisticated capacity for decision-making, resource management and co-investment when afforded genuine agency. However, broken donor promises, perceived inequities in benefit distribution and externally imposed compliance burdens erode confidence and sustainability.
This study provides evidence that reframes community philanthropy not merely as resource mobilization, but as a political and cultural practice through which marginalized communities assert dignity, self-determination, and ownership over their development futures. It further provides actionable recommendations for donors, International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs), corporate social responsibility partners, and local actors to ethically blend resources, strengthen civic infrastructure and localize decision-making authority without perpetuating dependency paradigms.
Authors: Mohammed Awal Alhassan, Anwar Sadat Hamza and Kawusada Abubakari – Norsaac
Published by: GFCF
Published: February 2026