Traditional Charity and Grassroots Giving with Project Ibu Ihu Na Ike Ihu

The Igbos of Nigeria have a traditional practice called ibu ihu. This custom requires every Igbo to set aside a percentage of his annual income and send it home to his family, where all the funds and commodities that have been collected can be shared with all the members of the family.

In former times, when the Igbos were less influenced by other cultures, ibu ihu was generally practiced. Back then, the Igbos paid this due with food, and the ibu ihu contribution helped to ensure that the Igbos did not have much starvation, destitution, or a high crime rate, because the practice was an effective way of distributing wealth. Through ibu ihu, the wealthy wound up indirectly giving to the poorer, who received without "losing face" because they had contributed ibu ihu as well.

This form of charitable giving is also found in the ma'aser (tithing) system of Israelite culture, where it is explicitly linked to the prosperity and success of everyone involved. According to the Hebrew Bible, "At the end of [every] three years you will bring forth all the tithe of your produce from that year and deposit it inside your gates, and the Levite - because he has no part or inheritance with you - and the stranger, the orphan, and the widow who are inside your gates will come, eat, and be satisfied, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do." (Deut. 14:28)

According to Jewish law, rich and poor alike must set aside a percentage of their annual income so that it can be distributed to the needy in the form of gifts, stipends, and even employment. Lest one be deterred from charitable by thoughts of personal loss, the preeminent rabbinic jurist Moses Maimonides promised, "A person is never impoverished from giving charitable, and nothing bad or damaging has ever come on account of charitable giving, as was said, 'And the act of charity is peace.' (Is. 32:17)"

Presently ibu ihu is almost extinct. Due to the abandonment of traditions like ibu ihu, the Igbo people are much poorer than they ever were, and their society is becoming dysfunctional. Rampant poverty, among other social factors, has led to an upsurge in violent crimes and social vices across Nigeria. According to UNESCO's 2010 Global Monitoring Report, almost 92% of the entire Nigerian population survives on less than $2/day, while about 71% survives on less than a dollar per day. As investments in health, education and water supply have largely been focused on the cities, the rural population (which produces almost 90% of Nigeria's food) has extremely limited access to schools, health centers, and even reliable electricity and safe drinking water. In Nigerian society today, women are the most chronically poor and the households they head are hit the hardest by the droughts, oil pollution, and deforestation which impact everyone.

Project Ibu Ihu Na Ike Ihu is about reviving this essential practice which would economically empower many Igbos, strengthen family ties, and reduce social tensions. As the project gains ground, the Igbo people are the better for it, as many more Igbos are benefited, poverty is gradually alleviated, and the crime rate is reduced.

You can help! Your contribution will go towards providing medical supplies, mobile generators, and educational materials to Igbos living in rural communities across Nigeria. Our goal is to reach just $5,000 over the next six months.

In addition to collecting funds for distribution in Nigeria, the Igbo Israel Union is also preparing a comprehensive needs-assessment survey to better determine and report the material needs of the tens of millions of Igbos living across Nigeria. This survey will be administered in every town and village by local volunteers.