If it takes a village to raise a child, who is raising the village?

We’ve all heard the saying: “It takes a village to raise a child.”

It’s one of those timeless truths that rings especially loud in African cultures, where aunties, uncles, neighbors, teachers, elders, even the market woman can speak into a child’s life.

But lately, we need to ask a harder, more urgent question:

If it still takes a village to raise a child, who is raising the village?

Because the truth is, the village doesn’t look like it used to.

The Village Is Tired, Distracted, and Sometimes Absent.

Today’s “villages” are busy.

Mothers are stretched. Fathers are absent or overwhelmed. Grandparents are older. Neighbours keep to themselves. Schools are under pressure. Communities are more fragmented than ever.

And screens? They’ve become a whole new set of “village elders” whispering and sometimes shouting into the ears of our children. TikTok, YouTube, music, and influencers now have more access to young hearts than many of us do.

So yes, it still takes a village to raise a child. But that village needs vision, healing, and accountability.

A healthy village today doesn’t just watch a child; it watches over one.

• It protects, not just punishes.
  

• It nurtures, not just notices.
  

• It corrects, but with compassion.
  

• It holds children and each other with care.
  

We can no longer afford to say “not my child” or “that’s not my business.” Because when the village fails, we all feel it. Broken homes become broken communities. Unguided children become lost generations.

So… Who Raises the Village?

We do.

You. Me. All of us.

The village is not just a place, it’s a people. And we must raise it by:

• Re-learning what it means to be present

It’s not about perfection; it’s about showing up. Asking how someone’s child is doing. Checking in. Offering support.

• Healing our own wounds
  

Many adults are parenting while still bleeding from their own childhood. Raising a village means creating space for healing and growth especially for parents.

• Teaching values out loud
  

The village must model what it wants the next generation to become - Integrity. Respect. Honesty. Compassion. If we don’t live it, we can’t teach it.

• Building a community intentionally

Not just online, but in real life. Parent circles. Support groups. Neighbourhood mentorships. Faith-based outreach. We raise the village by linking arms.

We believe the child and the village are deeply connected. You can’t raise one and ignore the other.

So here’s the challenge:

Let’s not just raise children.

Let’s raise parents, leaders, schools, and systems that are worthy of those children.

Let’s raise a village that doesn’t just survive but one that nurtures, guides, and protects the next generation with wisdom and love.

Because when the village is whole, the child has a future.