By Abubacarr Sissaho
The title “diaspora” refers to individuals or group of people who migrated from their country of origin to another country. But what is their contribution to their countries of origin?
We wish to highlight some of these contributions in this article.
It is an undisputed fact that the Diaspora do make strong and impactful contributions towards development of their countries of origin. Their interventions cut across; from education, economy, infrastructure, healthcare, commerce to knowledge and expertise.
They build networks, partnerships and communities purposely to assist the development of home country.
They are also well-known for providing financial support to families in the form of remittances. Many families depend on diaspora for livelihood maintenance.
They maintain flow of resources and communication with countries of origin through remittance, business creation, and personal relationships that help many individuals in solving their problems.
Technical Expertise
Through their experiences and exposure, some diasporans assist the country through policy formulation, investment, poverty alleviation programs and innovative ideas.
Moreover, they contribute to educational development of origin countries too. Some of them even establish private educational institutions, while others are engaged in charity work.
Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship offers substantial potential for leveraging innovation to expand businesses and multiply the impact on African economies. The entrepreneurial spirit of the African diaspora can serve as a tool for the continent’s growth. Moreover, entrepreneurship has the potential to bring numerous benefits to the continent.For example, it creates more jobs, which is crucial for the continent’s young population. Investments from the diaspora within Africa can also contribute to the much-needed growth on the continent.
Investing in social entrepreneurship and creating corresponding companies on the continent is another way for the diaspora to participate in the structural transformation of African economies.
The African diaspora can also help change the risk perception on the continent by actively utilizing tools such as social media to sell the continent’s outlook.
Health
Diaspora including African health workers do participate in healthcare delivery to their countries. They support mental health services, contribute knowledge and skills necessary to influence, inform, educate, and support their local communities and client groups.
