Onyekachi Wambu is Director of Policy for the African Foundation for Development UK.
Follow Onyekachi on Twitter: @AFFORD_UK
Listen to Bright Blue blog editor Jonathan Algar in conversation with Onyekachi at the Royal Institute of International Affairs:
Africa is experiencing positive economic growth and social change and the whole world is yet again looking at ways of benefiting from Africa’s wealth. AFFORD believes that it is especially important for young Africans in the diaspora to engage with the fast changing continent and capitalise on the growing opportunities.
In our experience, the most productive and ethical manner to engage with Africa as a member of the diaspora is to ask ‘what can I give to Africa?’ By deploying technical skills, professional experiences, charitable donations and business investments, the diaspora finds practical ways to give to and take from Africa in a manner that fosters ethical progress and sustainable development. AFFORD’s Africa-Gives project challenges young African professionals and leaders, to innovate and activate new and effective ways of enhancing how Africans give to Africa.
Our key objective is to deepen learning and understanding of young diaspora giving, by creating opportunities to engage young Africans, a group that are currently underrepresented in ‘official’ giving and philanthropic profiles; and to build on this learning by developing strategies and schemes to improve and enhance young diaspora giving that realises significant resources for Africa’s development. The initiative will also foster the development of new giving networks amongst young diaspora Africans that will harness their enthusiasm for African development and encourage collaboration amongst them. Finally it will develop innovative platforms, utilising new media and other technologies that will enable this particular audience to focus and direct their giving.
Young Africans will contribute significantly to driving this programme of research and action by giving of their time and skills. Africa-Gives provides a platform, network and support for the young generation of diasporan Africans; offering guidance on how to capitalise on the growing opportunities in a fast changing continent.
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