Funding and partnerships key challenges for African diasporas – study
Africa Europe Platform project shows how diasporas can overcome limitations and influence global development initiatives.
Funding and working in partnership emerged as the key challenges and limitations for diaspora organisations in a recent study conducted by the Centre of African Studies and School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.
Fifty-five Europe-based African diaspora organisations participated in the study. Most of these organisations were located in France, Belgium, Germany or the UK, and some in Spain, Lithuania, Malta, Switzerland, and Italy. The research aimed to investigate good practices and to collect examples of successful development projects. Though not providing final data, the findings offer some practical lessons for both diaspora organisations and development practitioners in developed countries engaging the diasporas.
Funding emerged as the biggest challenge: access to different sources of funding, difficulties in accessing funding, or the way financial resources are managed, are indicative of good practices and affect organisations and individuals’ choices and strategies, as well as outcomes.
