Engaging Diasporas in Development: Lessons Learned, Challenges and Trends
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This document discusses the potential role of remittances in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. It provides examples of partnerships between diaspora organizations and development organizations that harness remittances for investments, knowledge sharing, financial literacy programs, and capacity building initiatives in countries across Africa and Asia. The document also outlines Oxfam Novib's main programs that support diaspora organizations, such as capacity building, technical and financial assistance, alliance building, and linking development projects with remittances to contribute to sustainable development, education, health, peace, and gender equality.
Engaging Diasporas in Development: Lessons Learned, Challenges and Trends
- 1. Remittances, Diasporas and Development 24 May 2008, Utrecht
- 2. The Potential Role of Remittances in Achieving the Millennium Development Goals Leila Rispens-Noel Programme Officer Bureau Popular Campaigning leila.rispens-noel@oxfamnovib.nl
- 3. Migrant’s Life/Best of Both Worlds One foot in Holland, Another foot in Homeland 3
- 4. Goal 1 Wipe out extreme poverty Goal 2 Get all children a primary school education Goal 3 Women empowerment Goal 4 Health Goal 8 Global partnership for development 4
- 5. MDGs and Migration Goal 1 Over 60% of remittances is spent on Reduce Poverty food, shelter and clothing Goal 2 Children of mgirants stay longer in Universal Education school; HTAs support education Goal 3 Empowerment of women; over 65% of Women empowerment those who receive remittances are women; over 50% of migrant workers are women Goal 4 Remittances are used to imporving Health health of family members; HTAs support hospital; conduct mobile clinics Goal 8 MFI-diaspora partnership; private-sector- Global partnership for development diaspora partnership’; HTAs 5
- 6. Some examples: INAFI-AFFORD- DFD DFD Partnership Diaspora Forum for Development After the conference in Benin, a partnership was established between INAFI (International Alternative Financial Institutions), Africans for Development (AFFORD UK), and Diaspora Forum for Development (Netherlands composed of 36 migrant organisations representing 25 countries) in harnessing the development potentials of remittances through: Investments Knowledge sharing and transfers Financial Literacy Capacity building for MFIs in 12 countries to provide remittance- products and services to migrants and their families STATUS: the three-year proposal is being proposed. 6
- 7. GHANA: SANKOFA • SANKOFA Foundation was founded in 2001 by Ghanian diasporas. • Projects: - Technical and Training Center for peasant women who are members of Sankofa Family Poultry project (50 members and due for expansion) Partners in Ghana: GNAFF (Ghana National Association of Farmers en Fishermen; GAPNET Total amount extended: Euro 145.000,00 Direct beneficiaries: 32 women Indirect: 150 women members Entered Partnership with Rural Bank of West Dangme www.sankofa.nl 7
- 8. Ethiopia: DIR Founded in 2000, DIR Foundation is an Ethiopian organization which initiates projects in the Netherlands and Ethiopia. Projects funded by Oxfam Novib: - Coffee Processing Plant and housing project for prostitutes in Addis Ababa - Hiv/AIDS mainstreaming project - Housing and employment (brick production) project for ex- soldiers in Addis Ababa Partner since 1998 Number of direct beneficiaries reached: www.dirnet.nl 8
- 9. SOMALIA: HIRDA (Himilo International Relief and Rehabilitation Association) • A non-profit organization founded in 1998 by Somali refugees in the Netherlands • Total amount extended from 1998 to 2007 – • Total number of outreach: • Amount of project (2005-2007): Euro 559.877,00 • Types of projects: education, agriculture, peace building, women empowerment, relief and food distribution, youth development (NL and Somalia) • Partners in NL: Oxfam Novib, NCDO, Hivos • Partners International: UNICEF Somalia, Red Cross New Zealand, Somalis in Diaspora in various countries • Direct beneficiaries: 5.310 Indirect: 9.355 www.hirda.org 9
- 10. Gintong Aral (Golden Education) A project of DAMAYAN 10
- 11. Main programs to support diaspora organisations (from the margins to mainstream) 1. Capacity building – facilitate conduct of trainings (project cycle management, proposal writing, microfinance, strategic planning, fund raising, deepening knowledge and understanding of development, etc.) 2. Technical and financial assistance (development projects in the countries of origin and in the Netherlands/LINKIS front offices) 3. Support and stimulate broad alliance building of transnational networks of migrants – national and international levels – through dialogues and meetings 4. Influence policy making – coherency in migration and development policies through conduct of expert meetings, workshops, debates and conferences and ensure participation of migrant leaders in important conferences/meetings 5. Remittances and Conduct of financial literacy training (personal finance, social investments, encourage diaspora philanthropy, link with MFIs) 6. Linking and learning / exchange visits (Past activities: educational trips to Mexico, Philippines, Burundi, Moluccas/Indonesia, Sudan, Somalia, and Ethiopia) 7. Scaling up viable development projects. 5 aims: sustainable development; education and health; peace and security; social and political participation; and gender 11