Giving is a part of our culture, so give this Christmas

CHRISTMAS is a time for giving - and every one of us has something to give. Giving is not the preserve of only a few people.

In Africa, most people have been the recipients and donors of what in modern times is referred to as philanthropy.

Philanthropy has many definitions and has evolved over time. It generally means "the love of humanity" in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing human potential. It is believed that the word comes from ancient Greek mythology. It was used to describe a Greek Titan, Prometheus, who through his "philanthropos thropos" or "humanity-loving nature", sought to save humans from the wrath of the tyrannical father of the gods, Zeus.

Prometheus gave humans two empowering, life-enhancing gifts. One was fire, symbolising knowledge and skills to improve their lives, and the other blind hope or optimism.

Today philanthropy has taken on new meaning. In modern terms, it is private initiatives undertaken for public good to improve quality of life through foundations, trusts etc, with a legal and institutional framework.

Modern philanthropy also seeks to understand and resolve issues by imparting positive change on a large scale or in a fundamental way. In developing countries, philanthropy fills the gap where governments fall short and business does not reach.

The role of philanthropy is important in adding resources, building capacity or mobilising many actors and resources to deal with the root causes of an issue and creating lasting social change.

As Africans, we have always been a nation which practised charitable giving in our own simple way. The act of giving and caring is ingrained in our nature. We have a saying in Setswana, "Bana ba motho ba kgaoganya tlhogwana ya tsie".

Literally translated, it means that children from the same family (in a broad sense of a community) will share something as little as a locust's head. That is true giving and sharing in an African context. It builds solidarity, social cohesion, and reciprocity.

A humanity loving nature makes it natural for a poor family to take on a neighbour's child and look after him or her as their own.

It makes it natural for a poor woman to take up abandoned children and look after them, using her own salary or even pension money to cater for their needs. It is that same spirit that makes tourists love coming to our country, as they can feel our warmth and our caring nature.

We call it ubuntu, a term that also describes the humanity-loving spirit of our people. Giving does not have to be big. We can all give in our small little ways. An act of kindness or generosity can be practised by every one of us.

When I was a little girl growing up in Soweto, I was exposed to the loving and kind nature of many people in very different ways.

We all experience kindness from others in our everyday lives. We can all give back to our communities in many ways.

We can do it as individuals, through helping out a neighbour, a community, a church, a local crèche or old age home.

You can get together with a group of friends and help out at your former school.

Giving to your church, to your child's school, or offering to buy paint to make over a classroom at a school in your neighbourhood - all of that reflects the spirit of giving.

We have many young people who are unemployed. Business can give the youth an opportunity to acquire and learn new skills as a way of giving back to the community.

These young people are hungry to learn and to be given an opportunity to become meaningful members of our society.

Volunteerism is also a big way of giving. The beauty of giving can be as simple as giving a hug, a smile, or making it possible for someone to finish their education or get their business going.

Each one of us can give something back every day - and your Christmas will be a merry one!

• Moloi-Motsepe is chairwoman of African Fashion International and executive director of the Motsepe Foundation.