“Charity” is the word used locally to describe philanthropic activity in Diani, yet the choice of this term betrays the persistence of colonial patterns that mark the relations of philanthropic interactions.

Similarly, contemporary philanthropy in the global south—most often termed humanitarianism in that context—is an integral part of global power relations. While for some humanitarianism functions as reparative justice and is an act of solidarity, others engage in or support humanitarianism on the basis of enduring civilization and racist beliefs about the ineptness of populations living in the global south. Regardless of the particular impetus, humanitarian aid, particularly to sub-Saharan Africa, has emerged as a prominent form of contemporary philanthropy and has become integral to the self-image of societies of the global north. The critical inquiry has primarily focused on organized forms of humanitarian activity, such as governmental and non-governmental economic and political development and aid programs.

The type of humanitarian activity that I discuss in the chapter involves Germans who have decided to pursue philanthropic activities in Diani outside of the more familiar structures of governmental and international non-governmental organizations.

Building a school or digging a well in Africa are not innocent activities. While the compassion of philanthropists may be genuine, the reasons for global inequality need to be more widely understood. Otherwise, humanitarian aid remains hush money, a band aid for locals while investors continue to plunder the African continent.

Read the full article about contraband humanitarianism by Nina Berman at HistPhil.