African populations have a rich culture in gifting, sharing, and mutual support (sharing and gifting goods, work, and money). This literature review aims to present the African philanthropic landscape. This review of the literature related to philanthropy in the six countries: Algeria, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia, explicitly articulates how and why High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs), for example, use their resources to achieve the country’s mission and vision. The methodology used for this study is qualitative and quantitative with a mix of primary and secondary data. Indeed, the data were obtained on one hand through interviews conducted with philanthropic organisations, and on the other hand using documents and databases available on the internet. The study also focuses on the case of Cameroon, in analyzing the efficiency of individual giving and orphan foundations (orphanages) on economic development. This study used an econometric method (Data Envelopment Analysis, (DEA)) to obtain robust results with recommendations. Orphan foundations, private foundations, official development aid organisations, and philanthropic organisations in general are committed to improving the living conditions of populations in difficulty. However, very few authors have focused on philanthropy related on these issues. One of the main results of this study is to contribute to filling this gap in the literature. More specifically, it can be recommended to all individuals, and public or private organisations of good will to increase support of orphan foundations thus enabling them to take in more vulnerable children.