Living in Nairobi, Kenya these last few weeks has given me an opportunity to meet with hordes of freshly returned diasporans who made the decision to move back home from their various locales around the world. It almost feels like everyone got the same message at the same time. Ask anyone of them, and their reasons are going to be almost similar…. there was something missing from the equation living in the West, and the only way things felt right was to come home.
Social media and an improvement to the cost, quality, and speed of international communication tools have tightened the relationship between the neo-diaspora and their respective homes. Not only that, because of availability of just about anything online, it’s no longer a tough decision of missing the comforts of living in the West. While family bonds have tightened, so has access the best the West has to offer to Africa. Instead of Africa going to the West for a slice of the good life, Africa is started to bring the West to Africa. And that can’t be a bad thing for the future of Africa.
In this age of interconnectedness and always on communications channels, every once in a while, interesting opportunities fly in through our inbox here at PD HQ. One such connection that we couldn’t pass up from sharing with you guys comes from the enterprising minds behind African Repatriation web portal. General manager Adam Goodier sent us details on the new service geared at catering to African neo-diasporans with an eye on joining the “reaspora” movement. Reversing the decades-old African brain-drain has always been a passion of ours, so it’s nice to see a member of the Diaspora taking charge making sure your trip back home is an easy decision.
African Repatriation is an invaluable online resource for any African interested in returning and making a new life in Africa. Did you know that since 1990 Africa has been losing 20,000 professionals annually and over 300,000 professionals reside outside of Africa?
Whilst the world media talks of globalization, one thing has become evident to us; many people are choosing to return home. It is that wish that has inspired us to help people in their quest. African Repatriation encompasses the one world theme based on families all over the world working towards their own self-sufficiency and many are choosing to do that in the country they were born. It is never easy to return home, not least because of the thoughts “how will I survive?”, “how will I make money?” and so African Repatriation has worked towards understanding the needs of people who wish to return to Africa.
Working with partners and company resources to assist those looking for work in their chosen industry, combined with the knowledge required to make the move home, African Repatriation utilizes a powerful social networking community of professionals, seeking repatriation advice and discussing the latest employment trends and issues from the continent.
African Repatriation also showcases a job search tool and specialist editorials written by industry experts, so that subscribers can review the latest news, career advice and employment trends across Africa.
It’s time to reverse the African Brain Drain and Africa needs the genius of its citizens where ever they are. The goal of the African Repatriation project is to assist individuals who are actively looking to transfer their knowledge and skills gained internationally, back into the local talent market to empower the African continent. Why not become part of our growing community today, please visit http://www.africanrepatriation.com for further information.
Brendan
December 18, 2009 at 1:16 pmAwesome, I love it. One quibble: the tagline. Empowering and Sustainable are pretty uverused and vague. I bet there's something that could better captrue the passion of the effort.
B
tms ruge
December 18, 2009 at 1:27 pmGood point Brendan,
I think that's the easy way of doing marketing in this sector as they the most common of buzzwords. I think we should rethink the approach, but “reasporification” is really self-organized initiative by the Diaspora, I think such a movement needs and deserves appropriate marketing slogan that go beyond the box..
As an aside, I would really love to see the source of the brain drain numbers provided by African Repatriation… I've been looking for hard figures on the diasora…
Adam, can you provide some insite?
Wayan
December 19, 2009 at 3:36 amEhere do you usually work then, if not Nairobi?
tms ruge
December 19, 2009 at 3:45 amHi Wayan,I also work in Uganda and Dallas, TX.
techmasai
December 20, 2009 at 9:19 pmInteresting, this will probably have an effect somewhat in the long run. The is the first time I think Africans are actually returning home in significant numbers.
marieme
April 2, 2010 at 9:24 am[…] digital world, the strategies are seemingly endless. What online communities are best for your…Diaspora at Work: African Repatriation website making it …Living in Nairobi, Kenya these last few weeks has given me an opportunity to meet with hordes of […]
Kerr
November 21, 2011 at 5:45 pmGood for the comment. I am AA diaspora and would like to contribute. Although I can understand the call for former identified Kenyan's, I send a message to the concious of those who are forgetting high-powered and highly skilled African-American (and the other exiles). The same talents the neo-diasporan groups have recently acquired were in some cases earned under the tuturialage of Af-americans… So, why the settle call for the Af-Americans when the U.S economy is collasping?
We were divided before, so lets not repeat this phonemonon….. A split would only sabatage in the long run…
Please comment:
tms ruge
November 22, 2011 at 8:04 amHi Lyn,Great comment. I think you are right in terms of including the AA population into the call. The door should always be open for those that want to collaborate, but for many of us Neo Diaspora, we find it hard to integrate in the AA culture and tradition here in the States. Not sure about European Afro Diaspora.This is something I went through. There's never that welcoming spirit for us so we tend to stick together I suppose.After 20 years in the US, I can honestly only name but a handful of great friendships with AA that I cherish, but they worked and were genuinely curious to learn about NEO Diaspora and our culture.I would welcome a much more open cultural exchange and partnership. We must change this paradigm.