Abstract
This paper explores how the African ethic of Ubuntu—rooted in the belief that “a person is a person through other people”—can enhance the culture of compassion in food pantry systems. Drawing on a mixed-methods case study of five food pantries in Benton County, Oregon, the study analyzes how clients, volunteers, and staff experience and interpret care, empathy, and relational well-being in the context of hunger relief. Quantitative survey data (N=386) and observational insights are interpreted through the Ubuntu lens to assess whether current food assistance models foster human dignity and interconnectedness. The paper argues that food pantries should not merely distribute goods but actively cultivate spaces of mutual recognition and shared humanity. Ubuntu, as an ethical framework, offers a transformative approach to food justice—one that centers compassion as a structural value, not just an interpersonal virtue.
Presenters
Gabriel AyayiaStudent, PhD Student (Biological and Ecological Engineering Environmental Science), Oregon State University, Oregon, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
UBUNTU, COMPASSION, FOOD PANTRIES, RELATIONAL ETHICS, HUNGER RELIEF, COMMUNITY CARE
