https://www.onenewspage.comIn Africa, life is not lived alone. Individuals are born, grow, laugh, cry, build and evolve at the heart of a community. This model, far from being a constraint, is a silent force, a bulwark against isolation, and a driving force for solidarity.
For us, living together means living for and with others. This principle is not limited to the family in the narrow sense. It extends to the neighbourhood, the village, the religious community, elders, neighbours and neighbours' children. Each person is responsible for the other; each person carries a little of the other.
This is reflected in the simple gestures of everyday life: a meal shared without warning, a roof offered for a night or a month, a field cultivated together, a child brought up by several parents. In Africa, the ‘I’ is often replaced by the ‘we’.
This community model, sometimes perceived as archaic, is in fact a foundation of resilience. When misfortune strikes, the community supports, consoles and rebuilds. When joy breaks out, it is celebrated together, with song, dance and intertwined hands.
In modern contexts, this community bond is becoming weaker. Urban challenges, globalisation and sometimes dehumanising digital networks are pushing people towards individualism. But the culture of living together remains alive in the countryside, in tradition, in the hearts of those who refuse to be selfish.
Today, preserving this community life means protecting an intangible African heritage. It means teaching young people that they are not alone, that they have a role to play in the collective well-being. It means reinventing community in the modern era: in schools, cooperatives, associations, NGOs.
Living together is not just about sharing a space. It's about sharing a future. And Africa knows how to do that.