At a time when Africa’s development trajectory is being reshaped by its rapidly growing youth population, rising inequality, and shifting global funding landscapes, the Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment (CAPSI), based at Wits Business School (WBS), marks its 10-year anniversary in 2026, celebrating a decade of advancing African-led knowledge, leadership, and practice in philanthropy and social investment.
Established in 2016 as a Chair in African Philanthropy, CAPSI has grown into a first-of-its-kind, Pan-African centre dedicated to the study and advancement of philanthropy and social investment on the continent. Over the past decade, the Centre has built a reputation as a leading platform connecting research, teaching, policy, and practice, while amplifying African perspectives in global development conversations.
More recently, CAPSI has led continent-wide research, convened leading voices from across Africa and beyond, and built partnerships supporting large-scale initiatives focused on philanthropy, youth, women, sustainable development, social investment, and systems change, among others.
Housed within WBS at the University of the Witwatersrand, one of Africa’s leading research-intensive institutions, CAPSI’s work aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, contributing to a vision of inclusive, sustainable, and self-determined development across Africa.
At its core, CAPSI is not only a research centre, but a platform for reimagining how Africa mobilises its own resources, knowledge, and leadership to drive development on its own terms.
From an academic chair to a continental platform
Over the past ten years, CAPSI has evolved into a multi-dimensional hub of influence, integrating:
- Academic and short course programmes spanning masterclasses through to doctoral studies in African philanthropy and social investment
- Groundbreaking research, including a landmark multi-country study on dignified and fulfilling work for youth across 17 African countries
- Flagship convenings, such as the African Philanthropy Conference (APC), now one of the continent’s leading platforms bringing together funders, scholars, policymakers, and practitioners
- Strategic partnerships, including major collaborations with numerous funders, alongside a growing network of African and global institutions
Through this integrated approach, CAPSI has contributed to shaping the broader ecosystem of philanthropy in Africa, influencing how knowledge, funding, and leadership intersect across the continent.
Research that moves beyond the page
A defining feature of CAPSI’s work is its commitment to translating research into real-world impact. Its flagship research initiative on dignified and fulfilling work for Africa’s youth, conducted across 17 countries in partnership with African-led research networks, represents the most comprehensive study of its kind on the continent. The research highlights both the potential of the non-profit sector to create meaningful employment pathways, and the structural barriers young people continue to face.
Importantly, CAPSI has extended this work beyond traditional academic outputs. Initiatives such as the pan-African youth competition, with a significant prize sum allocated to the winners, invite young people to translate research into creative formats, from digital storytelling to podcasts, ensuring that knowledge is accessible, relevant, and shaped by youth voices themselves.
With Africa’s youth population projected to double by 2050, the question of dignified and fulfilling work is not only developmental, it is existential to the continent’s future.
Advancing inclusive and African-led leadership
CAPSI’s impact is reflected not only in its research, but in the leaders it helps to develop.
Through its academic and executive programmes, the Centre has built a growing global network of alumni across government, civil society, philanthropy, and the private sector, equipped with systems thinking, ethical grounding, and a deep understanding of African development contexts.
Programmes such as Adɔyɛ (“Love in Action”) further extend this impact by advancing women’s leadership in African philanthropy, amplifying often under-recognised contributions across communities, institutions, and the diaspora.
A trusted platform for dialogue and influence
Over the past decade, CAPSI has also established itself as a convening force and thought leadership platform, hosting high-level dialogues and public engagements with leading African and global voices.
Through initiatives such as the Conversations on African Philanthropy podcast, public lectures, and partnerships with major organisations, CAPSI continues to shape critical conversations on philanthropy, development, and social investment.
Voices from CAPSI leadership
Reflecting on the milestone, Professor Bhekinkosi Moyo, Director of CAPSI, said:
“Over the past decade, CAPSI has helped to reframe African philanthropy, not as an act of charity, but as a powerful expression of agency, solidarity, and systemic change. As we look ahead, our focus is on deepening this work and ensuring that African voices continue to shape the future of development on the continent.”
Professor Jacob Mati, Academic Director at CAPSI, added:
“Our work sits at the intersection of research, teaching, and practice. Over the past ten years, we have built a body of knowledge that is both academically rigorous and deeply rooted in African realities. The next decade will require even greater integration across these domains.”
Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Vice-Chancellor, University of the Witwatersrand said:
“CAPSI represents the kind of African-led, globally relevant scholarship that defines Wits University’s mission. Over the past decade, it has established itself as a leading centre of excellence, not only on the continent but increasingly in global conversations on philanthropy, development, and social investment.”
Looking ahead: The next decade
As CAPSI enters its second decade, its focus is firmly on shaping the future of philanthropy and social investment from an African perspective, positioning the continent not only as a recipient of development, but as a global thought leader in how giving, investment, and impact are understood.
Key priorities include:
- Expanding its Pan-African reach and partnerships
- Deepening its work on youth livelihoods and the future of work
- Advancing women’s leadership in philanthropy
- Exploring the role of artificial intelligence and ethics in development and social investment
- Strengthening Africa’s position as a global thought leader in philanthropy and social investment
A platform for Africa’s future
From its origins as an academic Chair to its current position as a continental platform and Centre of research excellence, CAPSI’s journey reflects a broader shift towards African-led knowledge, collaboration, and innovation.
As it looks ahead, the Centre remains committed to shaping a future where philanthropy and social investment are not peripheral, but central to building inclusive, resilient, and self-determined societies across Africa, and to ensuring that African voices, knowledge systems, and leadership are at the forefront of global development conversations.
About the Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment (CAPSI)
The Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment (CAPSI) advances social change across the continent by generating knowledge, fostering partnerships, and driving innovation in philanthropy and social investment.
CAPSI is committed to developing the next generation of African researchers, practitioners, and leaders through its academic programmes, short courses, research, publications, and convenings.
For more information, visit: https://www.capsi.wits.ac.za/ where you can explore CAPSI’s research, journals, initiatives, programmes, and academic and short course offerings.
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