Philanthropist urges NGOs to prioritize sustainable giving
By Solomon Nartey Tetteh
Sam Baraka, a philanthropist and executive director of Baraka Outreach LBG, has called on nonprofit organizations and individuals engaged in social interventions to shift their focus from one-off charitable acts to long-term philanthropic strategies for meaningful and lasting change.
In recent years, nonprofit leaders have emphasized the importance of moving from short-term charitable acts to long-term philanthropic strategies to address poverty and social challenges in Africa.
Recent research by CIVICUS, a global civil society alliance, shows that many nonprofit initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa struggle with continuity due to inadequate funding, lack of strategic planning, and insufficient monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.
Speaking on Business Breakfast on Zed FM, Mr. Baraka emphasized the importance of clearly understanding the difference between charity and philanthropy. He explained that while both are commendable, charity alone is not sufficient to create sustainable impact in communities.
“Charity has its place, but what we truly need for lasting impact in our efforts to give back to society is philanthropy. Charity is often a one-time act of helping someone in the moment without any follow-up or long-term support. You rarely know what becomes of the person afterward,” he said.
Mr. Baraka noted that common acts such as distributing food on the streets, while helpful, are often not enough to change lives long term.
“You might go out and share food with someone today, but you have no idea what happens to them tomorrow. That’s what charity looks like,” he explained.
According to Mr. Baraka, philanthropy, on the other hand, involves deliberate and long-term investment in people.
“Philanthropy is about long-term commitment. It means identifying someone as a project, supporting their education, establishing structures to track their progress, and assessing the overall impact. Ultimately, the goal is to create outcomes that benefit both the individual and the wider community,” he explained.
The philanthropist further cautioned that good intentions alone are not enough to sustain nonprofit projects
He explained that: “People might genuinely want to be sustainable in their initiatives, but several factors can undermine their efforts.”
Mr. Baraka identified three key barriers to nonprofit sustainability: lack of knowledge, poor organizational structure, and an unsupportive environment.
“Lack of the right knowledge can derail your efforts. Without proper structures, progress stalls. And if the environment isn’t supportive, your initiative is unlikely to succeed,” he emphasized.
The philanthropist urged nonprofit organizations to stay true to their core mission of selfless service, warning against the growing trend of using nonprofit entities as fronts for profit-making ventures.
He also stressed that charity and philanthropy must remain voluntary and ethically grounded, rather than being driven by personal or financial gain.
