The Rise of Social and Welfare Associations

The Rise of Social and Welfare Associations

The Meaning of Social and Welfare Associations

Explain the meaning of social and welfare associations

Social and welfare associations are social groups associations formed by Africans to meet the immediate needs of members by protesting colonial exploitation, oppression and humiliations. They played an important role of providing political education to African communities by showing the evil of colonialism and the need to liberate themselves.

The major groups of social and welfare associations

1.     The skilled and unskilled workersThese comprised of elites both skilled and unskilled workers who lived in poor houses and had nosufficient health and education services compared to Asians and Europeans. They demanded better terms of services, equal provision of wages and salaries to workers of the same qualifications regardlessof their race differences.

2.     African tradersThese were petty traders in urban areas who were addressing their grievances including discriminationsas African traders were discriminated while Asian and European traders were favored much by the colonial governments through provision of loans and other facilities.

3.     Peasants and cooperative societies. These were peasants cooperative unions aiming at defending the needs of the farmers since the colonial government confiscated their land and offered it to the white settlers while Africans possess little lander landless and forced them to live in infertile land. Examples of these associations were Kilimanjaro Native Planters Association of Tanganyika and Ukamba Members Associations of Kenya.

The Reason for the Rise of Social and Welfare Associations

Analyse the reason for the rise of social and welfare associations

The influence of ex soldiers from the first and second world wars, these were the Africans who were recruited by colonial governments to fight on their sides abroad these countries like Burma, Sri Lanka and other parts of the world. They created awareness to the Africans about the importance of welfare associations in the process of nationalism struggle.

The role of African elites especially those trained by colonialists for the aim of assisting colonial administration in various fields like clerks, teachers, nurses among others. They mobilized their fellow workers to form social organizations within their working areas demanding good living and working conditions for workers as well as better salaries and wages as well as same benefits regardless their race differences.

The increase of exploitation of human resources and natural resources, the world wars left European countries with economic difficulties as a result they decided to come to Africa to compensate their economic loss by exploiting African resource through land alienation, forced labour, taxation and payment of low wages this situation led the Africans to rise social and welfare associations to protest colonial exploitations.

Awareness of civilized urban dwellers on colonial evils most Africans who settled in urban centers so the need to establish welfare associations especially among the people who originated from the same regions or clans, they later on provided such awareness to the African village dwellers who joined hands by supporting the establishment of social and welfare associations.

The Strengths, Weaknesses and Contribution of Social and Welfare Associations during the Struggle for Independence

Assess the strengths, weaknesses and contribution of social and welfare associations during the struggle for independence

Weaknesses/problems of social and welfare associations

It was based on small group’s organization like tribal or class as a result it was very difficult to for their grievances to be fulfilled by the colonial governments for they could not mobilize most of their countrymen.

Frustration and fear among members due to colonial government harassments to members and leaders of social and welfare associations following this situation the members and leaders of the associations failed to stand firm for the interest of their associations. For example the Harry Thuku of the Kikuyu Central Association in Kenya was softened his stand against the colonial government after being exiled.

Financial problems, most of social and welfare association faced the problem of inadequate funds this was due to the fact that they were depending income from their members’ subscriptions to meet their needs. Yet, their members earned low income and at the same time they had other obligations like tax payments and daily life needs as a result they contributed a small amounts in the association something that resulted to financial problems.

Inadequate knowledge and skills of leaders in managements, many leaders of social and welfare associations had little knowledge and skills of managing offices and leading people this created difficulties in organization and mobilization of members within a given association.

Banning of social and welfare associations by colonial government this was due to the fact that these associations were against colonial governments and administrations that is why colonial governments decided to ban them in order to abolish them. This situation made Africans to experience difficulties in organizing the associations.

Strengths and contributions of social and welfare associations during the struggle for African independence

·         Establishment of infrastructures such as offices came to be used by the nationalist leadersduring the struggle for independence.

·         Preparation of nationalist leaders these associations prepared African nationalist leaders who were members of the associations through providing political awareness that made them to stand firm in struggling for African liberation. For example Jomo Kenyatta was a member of the Kikuyu Central Association who later on organized Kenyans to fight for their liberation.

·         They provided awareness among the Africans on the evils of colonial governments, through these associations many Africans especially the members of the associations awakened on the injustice of colonialism. For example in Kenya the Ukambani experiencing demonstrations due to the increase of awareness.

·         Journal publications, some social and welfare associations published their journals which carried out various political agenda and communicated with their members on different issues of their concern.

·         Generally they organized meetings which came to be a forum for airing their own grievances to the colonial rule. Furthermore, they created a base on which the true nationalism activities stood