Ubuntu is an African term for “humanness” – for caring and for sharing. It is a way of life and stresses the importance of community, solidarity, sharing and caring. As a philosophy, ubuntu means the opposite of being selfish and self-centered. It promotes cooperation between individuals, cultures and nations. Ubuntu thus empowers all to be valued to reach their full potential in accord with all around them. An Ubuntu society means a “humane society” based on collective solidarity and communality rather than individualism and particularity. Principles of Ubuntu as fraternity emphasise collectivism and relationships over material things, including ownership of opportunities, responsibilities, and challenges. The concept Ubuntu, like many African concepts, is not easily definable. It has generally been described as a world-view of African societies, and a determining factor in the formation of perceptions which influence social conduct.

Ubuntu expresses humanity in Bantu languages and describes a set of closely related African-origin value systems that emphasize the interconnectedness of individuals with their surrounding societal and physical worlds. “Ubuntu” is sometimes translated as «I am because we are”«(also «I am because you are«), or «humanity towards others« (Zulu umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu). In Embu, the latter term is used, but is often meant in a more philosophical sense to mean «the belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity«.

Ubuntu echoes the African thought of acceptable ideas and deeds. Ubuntu can best be described as humanism from the African perspective as proposed by the former head of the Zambian government, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda (2004). It is an Africa’s worldview of societal relations, social and humanistic ethic.Ubuntu relates to bonding with others. This is in line with what the word expresses in most African languages: being self because of others. This is also in line with the popular African saying: «I am because we are and I am human because I belong», express this tenet. This means that in African philosophy, an individual is human if he or she says «I participate, therefore I am. This echoes the fraternity and communion» in a community aspect. Various words have been used to describe the presence of ubuntu. Some of these are sympathy, compassion, benevolence, solidarity, hospitality, generosity, sharing, openness, affirming, available, kindness, caring, harmony, interdependence, obedience, collectivity and consensus. Ubuntu is opposite to vengeance, opposite to confrontation, opposite to retribution and that ubuntu values life, dignity, compassion, humaneness harmony and reconciliation.

Ubuntu relates to bonding with others. This is in line with what the word expresses in most African languages: being self because of others. This is also in line with the popular African saying: I am because we are and I am human because I belong, express this tenet. This means that in African philosophy, an individual is human if he or she says I participate, therefore I am. This echoes the fraternity and communion in a community aspect.

Ubuntu as a philosophy is attributable to Africa, especially sub-Saharan Africa. However, its application is now worldwide. The late Bishop Desmond Tutu, an advocate of Ubuntu, gave a quite exciting contribution to this philosophy. His view was that in African ontology, ubuntu symbolises the backbone of African spirituality. He says that Western countries gave the world economic stand points like capitalism; Africa has not been able to contribute that much to the economy. However, the fraternity in ubuntu has been Africa’s largest contribution to the world. The Nobel Laureate ubuntu is the essence of being human. He further stated that the quality of ubuntu gives people resilience, enabling them to survive and emerge still human despite all efforts to dehumanize them.

Society works with individual endeavours to bring function on the life of dysfunctional individuals. Ubuntu has several tenets that support achievement of society in its work. In African settings, it is the responsibility of children to look after elderly members of the family. A child with Ubuntu looks after their family, inner or extended. Every person grows up through the efforts of others and in the same vein, everyone should contribute towards development of others. A person with Ubuntu is respectful especially of elders and when the family fails, which is often rare, the community provides the support.

Ubuntu encourages collective effort and shared responsibility. In the African continent, it takes a village to raise a child. There is a very strong focus on community. Ubuntu has greater relevance in the application of social work with communities. Ubuntu-utu inters that the community lives as a collective. In community work, cooperation and collaboration are key principles. Ubuntu fosters a sense of communal support and interdependence, which is essential for building strong communities.

Ubuntu involves community members working together to grow food that is kept and distributed to the need. Being a mother does not merely represent mother of your own biological children but represent a mother of all children within the community. It goes the same direction for being a father. Thus, a community with Ubuntu will never have orphans. Mothers are mothers for the whole community. The community is more important than an individual under the Ubuntu philosophy.

Positive behaviour is related to the Ubuntu philosophy. Behaviour is identified as an individual state of being, where the person’s behaviour is governed by a ability to reason and think within the community context. Rational behaviour thus focuses on positive human values, such as love, sympathy, kindness and sharing.

Respect refers to an objective and unbiased consideration of and regard for somebody’s rights, values, beliefs and property. Under African governance provisions, respect, dignity, caring and sharing are considered critical values that build African communities.

The fundamentals of sharing are prevalent in African communities. The Ubuntu philosophy implies that one can only increase one’s good fortune by sharing with other members of the society and thereby also enhancing their status within the local communities. Broodryk enumerates cases that show the human value behaviour of the Ubuntu philosophy, including visiting sick people who are not necessarily one’s own relatives.

The Ubuntu optimises the African philosophy of respect and human dignity that is fundamental to being able to transcend ethnic divisions by working together and respecting each other. People who truly practise Ubuntu are always open and make themselves available to others, they are affirming of others and do not feel threatened that others are able and good.

Ubuntu, as suggested by Samkange and Samkange (1980) is reflected in leaders who lead with their subjects. Such leaders are selfless and do not impose their will. A leader who has utu is selfless and consults widely and listens to subjects. This sums up African management which has also been explored by Mbigi .

Also, Ubuntu underscores the significance of collective action and mutual support. In social work, this translates into community-centered approaches where interventions are designed with the participation and input of the community. As Mwenda Mutua notes, «social work in Kenyan communities is inherently communal, drawing on the Ubuntu philosophy that ‘I am because we are,’ ensuring that solutions are rooted in the community’s own strengths and resources». This approach fosters a sense of ownership and sustainability in social programs.

Ubuntu has had its own share of criticism be may not be universally applicable. These criticisms enhances the complexities and limitations of applying Ubuntu in contemporary settings. Addressing these weaknesses involves integrating Ubuntu’s communal values with modern human rights and social justice considerations to ensure that its application is both relevant and equitable. Ubuntu brings the human face to every aspect of life. It therefore has its place in society. When applied to social humanitarian work, ubuntu stands for a humane society, using humane methods to achieve human goals. Social workers therefore have a twin responsibility of embracing ubuntu and using the values of ubuntu to influence the world around them.