The Philanthropist
Philanthropy, as an agent of change, is embraced wholly in African culture. It comes with no bureaucracy and its common goal is the sustenance and preservation of the African family.
Unlike Western cultures, in Africa, the question of where to give your charitable dollars is pretty much predetermined or dictated by one’s family and upbringing. Charity begins at home.
James believes that giving back is not only the right thing to do when one is successful but that it is a part of the fabric of African culture. James’s philanthropic work began early on in his career as a broadcaster and throughout his career through various community service projects in Mashonaland Central Province where he was born.
In 2009, inspired by the role education had played in Barack Obama’s rise to the world’s most powerful political position, James founded the IBBAMO Foundation, an acronym for ‘inspired by Barak and Michelle Obama’. IBBAMO funds and establishes projects for improving educational opportunities for disadvantaged African children. The foundation’s programmes are focused on academic excellence, leadership, social responsibility, and entrepreneurship – and are a reflection of James’s personal philosophy: education is the oxygen of life.
Following the growth and impact of the IBBAMO Foundation, James brought his philanthropic efforts together under the eponymous James Makamba Foundation to focus on education, entrepreneurship and social development.