Giving Without Institutions: Informal Philanthropy in Eastern Africa
A. Nakato, J. Mwangi, S. Oketch
Abstract
Household survey instruments designed for formal charitable giving systematically undercount the transfers that constitute most philanthropy in Eastern Africa. Drawing on 1,400 household interviews across Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, this paper documents the scale and structure of informal giving and proposes a revised measurement approach.
We find that transfers between households — school fees, medical costs, burial contributions and emergency support — account for a majority of giving by value, and that these flows are both more regular and more redistributive than the formal sector.
Key findings
- Informal transfers account for an estimated 68% of household giving by value.
- Burial and medical support are the two largest categories, ahead of religious giving.
- Existing national survey modules capture under a third of measured flows.
Cite this working paper
Nakato, A., Mwangi, J. & Oketch, S. (2026). Giving Without Institutions: Informal Philanthropy in Eastern Africa. Ukarimu Centre Working Paper No. 1. Ukarimu Centre, Makerere University. https://doi.org/10.0000/ukarimu.2026.001