Sub-Sahara
Africa Diaspora
Groups
and Individuals
in Wales
Involved in
International
Development
Profiles, Needs and
Expertises:
Mapping and Engagement
April 2012
by
Marilia Angove
for
Sub Sahara
Advisory Panel
www.ssap.org.uk
Funded by Welsh Government - Wales for Africa Programme
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
Foreword
Foreword by Rt Hon Carwyn Jones, First Minister of Wales:
We have an extremely vibrant civil society and voluntary sector in Wales. Extraordinary
people work hard to support the fight against global poverty.
Welsh Diaspora play a vital role in this fight and bring valuable understanding and
knowledge to our international development work.
This report highlights the potential for future contribution and involvement of
Sub-Saharan Diaspora in Wales and I am pleased to have this resource for
us to consider.
It is encouraging to see that many people are eager to play an active role in our
International Development programme and I am keen to encourage involvement in Wales
for Africa projects, networks and other opportunities.
Wales is a small country, but we recognise our moral duties as a global citizen and want to
contribute to international development and social justice worldwide.
2
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank the Sub-Sahara African Diaspora Groups and individuals in Wales
for their participation and support during this mapping and engagement project. Without
whose active support in the consultation events and in returning completed questionnaires,
this mapping and engagement exercise would not be possible.
In addition, we want to extend our thanks to all the organisations, groups and individuals
that helped promote the mapping and engagement project, as well as the volunteers that
supported the consultation events in North and South Wales.
We also want to thank the Welsh Government – Wales for Africa Programme for their
support and vision in funding the first Sub-Sahara African Diaspora mapping and
engagement project in Wales. This project lays down the foundation from which to develop
the role and capacity of the Sub-Sahara African Diaspora in Wales towards the Welsh
Government’s International Development strategy and implementation.
Sub- Sahara Advisory Panel (SSAP)
3
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
Table of Contents
Foreword
2
Acknowledgements
3
Abbreviations
5
Executive Summary
6
1.0
Introduction
8
2.0
Methodology
11
2.1
2.2
2.3
Survey
North Wales Consultation
South Wales Consultation and meeting with Welsh Organisations
involved with ID
12
12
3.0
Findings from the Mapping and Engagement
14
3.1
Survey
15
3.2
Consultation Events
27
4.0
How Sub Sahara Diaspora Can Add Value
13
to Welsh led ID
35
5.0
Key Findings
36
6.0
Conclusions
37
7.0
Recommendations
38
8.0
References
39
9.0
Appendices
40
4
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
Abbreviations
ADPC
African Diaspora Policy Centre
AFFORD
African Foundation for Development
AFTCD
Capacity Development Management Action Plan Unit
AFTQK
Operational Quality and Knowledge Services Department
AU
African Union
DFID
Department for International Development
EADPD
European Wide African Diaspora Platform for Development
ID
International Development
HUB
Wales International Development Hub
MDG
Millennium Development Goals
NGO
Non-Governmental Organisation
SMIDOS
Small and Medium Sized International Development
Organisations
SSAP
Sub Sahara Advisory Panel
WCIA
Welsh Centre for International Affairs
WCVA
Welsh Council for Voluntary Action
WG
Welsh Government
5
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Key Findings

The findings from The Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Mapping
and Engagement Project Involved in International Development Report represent
the voice of over 540 individuals from the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Communities in
Wales.

The respondents represent an inter-generational Sub-Sahara Africa Diaspora
constituency, reflecting all different stages of International Development activities
from thinking about to start (pre-start), about to start, just started (last 2 years) and
well established (over 3 years) and experienced in this sector of activity.

The Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups expertises and International Development
activities are well established in the key areas of Health, Education, Law, Finance,
Monitoring and Evaluation, Accountancy, Gender Equality and Women
Empowerment amongst others.

All 13 Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups that responded to the project’s survey have at
least one “live project” underway, seven of the respondents have two “live projects”,
and half of all respondents have at least three “active projects”.

In Wales, women in the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals were identified to
be leading the way in running International Development activities.

There is a whole pool of young representatives from the Sub-Sahara Diaspora
Communities who are eager to play an active role in International Development
activities and initiatives.

At each of the consultations events, the participants were critical of the way large
International Development organisations conduct their projects and initiatives - “the
four wheel drive approach”, which rarely engages with local communities to identify
their needs or partners with local organisations to improve capacity building while
implementing their programmes.

The Diaspora landscape in Wales has changed significantly since the WCVA report
was issued in 2010 and needs updating, as many of the Diaspora Organisations
listed no longer exist.
6
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
Conclusions

There is a constituency of Sub-Sahara Diasporas Groups and Individuals in Wales
who are well established, have a sound track record and credibility in conducting
International Development activities.

There is a constituency of Sub-Sahara Diaspora Individuals in Wales who aspire to
get involved with International Development that are young, enthusiastic, well
educated, and have professional expertise to input into ID activities.

The Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals are not making the most of the Welsh
led mainstream International Development networks.

The Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals involved in delivering International
Development activities are not tapping into Welsh and UK funding and resources.

There is the need for the SSAP to become an umbrella organization for the SubSahara Diaspora in Wales

There is the need to set up a robust and vibrant Sub-Sahara Diaspora Network for
the purpose of on a regular basis share and make the most of the latest intelligence
on International Development Practices, Initiatives and Opportunities from Wales,
UK, EU and Africa.

The Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales need to connect and have
an official representative voice in the Welsh Government for the purpose of
International Development policy development and implementation.

The Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales are not connected with
African Diaspora organizations in Europe.
7
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
Recommendations

The Sub-Sahara Advisory Panel will better serve the Sub-Sahara Diaspora
Community in Wales by becoming a membership organization.

There is a need for continued operational and strategic engagement and
collaboration between North and South Wales Sub Sahara Diaspora Groups, as
this will strengthen the voice, representation and engagement of this constituency
before the Welsh Government.

There is a need for Sub-Sahara Diaspora Individuals who want to be involved with
International Development activities to work together and whenever possible
become constituted as 3rd sector organisations, if they are to be able to tap into the
resources available to make their projects a reality.

Greater effort needs to be made by the Welsh Government to consult and to give
the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales an active role when
developing International Development Policy strategy and Implementation.

In order to access The Sub-Sahara Diaspora Individuals committed to conducting
International Development projects need to establish collaborative projects and
initiatives with Sub Saharan Africa Diaspora Representative bodies such as the
SSAP.

Continue to raise awareness of the social capital value of the Sub-Sahara Diaspora
Groups/Individuals in Wales by supporting the Sub-Sahara Advisory Panel as an
umbrella organisation.

Quarterly networking events to be held with Welsh organisations conducting
International Development initiatives in the Sub-Saharan Africa.

Continue to collect primary data on the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in
Wales that are active in the field of International Development.

That the SSAP organise an annual African Diaspora and International Development
Conference/Summit to bring together International Development Stakeholders and
Practitioners, Diaspora Groups and Individuals from Wales, UK, EU and Africa.
8
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
1.0
Introduction
At an international level, a key document is the Concept Note from the Capacity
Development Management Action Plan Unit (AFTCD) and the Operational Quality and
Knowledge Services Department (AFTQK) in September 2007 published a Concept Note,
entitled Mobilizing the African Diaspora for Development. This document sets out in very
clear terms the significance and growing role the African Diaspora across the world will
play in African Development.
The African Development Bank and the African Development Fund in their report The Role
of the Diaspora in Nation Building: Lessons for Fragile and Post-Conflict Countries in
Africa goes on to explore issues such as Diaspora in Social and Economic Growth,
Mobilising Diaspora Investment and Entrepreneurship for Private Sector Development,
together with Regional Experiences of engaging the Diaspora with a number of examples
from Sub-Saharan Africa, makes a strong case for the role of African Diaspora towards the
Development of the continent.
At a European level, the African Diaspora Policy Centre (ADPC) established in 2006 in the
Netherlands is one of the key organizations leading the movement towards harnessing the
social capital of the substantial African Diaspora population in Europe.
In March 2012, Germany hosted the 1st African Diaspora Expert Meeting, which saw the
launch of the European Wide African Diaspora Platform for Development (EADPD), known
also as Africa-Europe Platform a three year project that aims to stimulate the collaboration
of the African Diaspora organizations in Europe. A key objective of this programme is to
map and engage with African Diaspora organization across Europe.
In August 2011, the African Diaspora Policy Centre, under their Migration and
Development strand published a document entitled: Mainstreaming Diaspora Initiatives
Into Development Cooperation Policy Towards Africa, evidence from Britain, France,
Germany and the Netherlands. This document presents an overview of the mobilization
strategies of African Diaspora Communities by African governments in order to harness
their potential for African development. This provides further evidence of the bilateral drive
from African governments and Diaspora to work together for the development of the
continent.
From a UK perspective a number of studies including the one by AFFORD (1998) and one
by Murray, P. (2007) were conducted to highlight and map the profile, activities, needs and
aspirations of the Diaspora Communities in the UK. Comic Relief (2011) commissioned a
literature review of the African Diaspora based in the UK and their role in International
Development, that has not yet been published.
The Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals Involved in International Development in
Wales, Mapping and Engagement Project Report represents the voice of over 540
individuals from the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Communities in Wales.
At a Wales level, although Wales has had a connection with Lesotho for the last 25 years,
it was only in 2006 that the Welsh Government developed an International Development
Policy, and the Wales for Africa programme was established as a vehicle to implement this
policy.
9
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
Since then, the Welsh Government has supported a number of International Development
networks such as the Wales Africa community Links, the NHS Wales for Africa Health
Forum, Fair Trade Wales, the Small and Medium Sized International Development
Organisations (SMIDOS), now the Wales International Development Hub.
In 2010, the Welsh Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) published a report entitled the
Welsh Civil Society and the Millennium Goals, in which they made reference and listed the
Diaspora organisations in Wales. However, it was found that the Diaspora landscape in
Wales has changed significantly since the report was issued and needs updating.
It is within this background that the Sub-Sahara Advisory Panel (SSAP) was established.
Based on the belief that Diaspora groups and individuals from Sub Sahara Africa have a
great deal of insight and knowledge on challenges and opportunities faced by the
communities back home in the Sub-Saharan Africa, which would be helpful to Welsh
International Development initiatives. With the exception of the Sub-Sahara Advisory
Panel, which is the only organisation that is led by a diverse Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups
and Individuals, all the other organisations are Welsh led.
Since its establishment, the Sub-Sahara Advisory Panel has increased in numbers, as well
as in the diversity of their Diaspora representation.
The members of the Sub-Sahara Advisory Panel (SSAP) were concerned that Sub Sahara
perspective was often absent in International Development policy making, and in the
crafting of grant initiatives and programmes, as well as in the practical implementation of
the various initiatives.
Due to the lack of knowledge on the ground about Sub-Saharan Africa traditions, cultures,
values and beliefs, it was noticed that when trying to implement initiatives and projects
many problems were encountered that could have otherwise been avoided or easily
solved, if a member of the related Sub-Sahara Diaspora community had been consulted.
As a framework to guide its activities the SSAP has adopted a number of clear objectives:
 To provide insight, knowledge and experience on Sub-Sahara Africa to International
Development groups,
 To add value to international development monitoring and evaluation principles and
practices.
 To encourage the adoption of strategies and actions that deliver real; and
measurable benefits in Sub-Saharan Africa.
 To recommend and comment upon government and civil society policies and
practices.
 To critique and improve the funding focus, criteria and processes of funding bodies.
 To provide a ‘reality check’ on all aspects of intended and delivered programmes of
work in Sub-Sahara Africa.
 To address matter of injustice, poor governance and corruption that compromise
effective International Development.
 To support the establishment and growth of strong community cohesion among
Diaspora groups in Wales.
 To provide information and intelligence to Diaspora groups.
10
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
Meanwhile, despite its short existence the Sub-Sahara Advisory Panel has established
itself as a key player in International Development and solid list of achievements, which
include:








Partnership Work with local International Development organisations in Wales
Wales Africa International Development Summit 2010 and 2011
Open forum meeting April 2011
Panel members involved in delivery of projects in Sub-Sahara Africa
Member of the Wales International Development Hub
Hosted a meeting attended by UK government International Development
minister and the Welsh representative in Westminster, in November 2011
Acquired Welsh Government funding to deliver a mapping and engagement
project
Is developing a collaborative partnership with AFFORD
It was within this context that the SSAP in 2011 secured funding from the Wales for Africa
programme to conduct a Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups Mapping and Engagement project.
The aim of the project was to gain insight into the Profile, Needs, Expertises and
Aspirations of the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups in Wales, produce a Report of the findings
from the Mapping and Engagement exercise and Directory.
Similar to the work carried out by the Welsh organisations, the International Development
work conducted by the Sub Sahara Diaspora Groups and Individuals in Wales has been
self and group driven, and in its majority was aligned with the Millennium Goals.
However, in contrast with the Welsh led initiatives, despite the SSAP’s collaboration with
mainstream organisations such as SMIDOS and being partners with the Wales
International Development Hub their International Development work is not well known and
celebrated beyond their immediate circles.
2.0
Methodology
A blend of quantitative and qualitative research methods were used to gather primary data
during the Sub-Sahara Mapping and Engagement project. Amongst the activities
undertaken were; desk research, development of digital and hard copy survey, conduct
group consultations in North and South Wales.
The quantitative data gathering was underpinned by the survey questionnaire, which had
the dual purpose of providing primary data for this report and well as to provide the data
for the digital and printed Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Directory.
Whilst the original intention was to Map and Engage with Sub Sahara Diaspora Groups in
Wales, once the project was underway and word spread about the purpose of the project,
it soon became apparent that there were many Individuals that wanted to take part. Many
were already undertaking small scale informal socio-economic activities that impact in their
country of origin and others were looking to start-up and get involved or collaborate with
existing initiatives from their Diaspora peers.
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Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
In view of this population of willing participants, the Sub-Sahara Advisory Panel embraced
the opportunity to map and engage with these individuals and as such expand the scope
of the project in order to collect precious data that will inform the development and role of
the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Community in Wales. This change was considered acceptable
on the basis of Empowerment and Widening Access to Participation, thus providing an
Equality of Opportunity to Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups and Individuals, which in terms of
community cohesion is an example of Good Practice.
This adjustment had two implications; firstly there has been considerably more data to log,
analyse and report on, which has required the need for an extended period that originally
allocated to the project. However, the richness of the data collected together with the level
of mobilization and awareness raised about the need to harness the socio-economic
capital of the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups and Individuals in Wales, has provided a very
good return for the time investment required.
The project was conducted within a continuous reflective monitoring and evaluation
framework, which included formal and informal reviews of measuring progress against set
milestones, activities and outcomes during the timeline of the project. This method
provided real time feedback on progress and quickly indicated when corrective intervention
was required, such as when more time needed to be given between announcing events
and hosting them in order to give respondents a greater opportunity to participate in
consultations. Likewise the deadline for submission of completed survey questionnaires
was extended by participant’s request.
The survey has been developed in such a way that can be used beyond the life of this
project and therefore continue to provide a consistent data that will allow for the regular
update of the digital directory, thus maximising resources.
The continuous reflective monitoring and evaluation framework adopted during the project
also provided an early insight when added value data emerged during the life project.
During a formal regular reflective monitoring and evaluation session between with the
SSAP members, it became apparent that value could be added to the Directory by adding
a section on Resources and Links.
2.1
Survey
The development of the survey questionnaire was informed by AFFORD (1998) a survey
of African Organisations in London, a mapping for Connections for Development by
Murray (2007) on the profile of the UK Diaspora Civil Society Groups involved in
International Development and the brief from Comic Relief (2011) for a literature review of
the African Diaspora based in the UK and their role in International Development.
As primary data was going to be collected for the first time on Sub-Sahara Diaspora
Groups/Individuals in Wales, it was important to consider the work that key organisations
in the field of International Development have done, particularly if the data from Wales in
the future is to be included in UK studies led from English organisations.
12
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
The survey was further developed with the input of members of the SSAP and piloted
amongst some members’ representative of both Diaspora Groups and Individuals, all
active in International Development organisations operating from Wales.
For consistency it was decided that the questionnaire would be the same for Diaspora
Groups and Individuals, as that way there would be consistency on the data collected.
The final version of the survey questionnaire used for the mapping and engagement
exercise included the following five sections;
 Profile.
 Links.
 Activities.
 Skills, experience and expertise.
 Organisational needs.
To maximise participation and accessibility the questionnaire was available in digital and
hard copy, and a freepost address was made available for hard copy replies.
The distribution was conducted via direct delivery at the consultation sessions and to the
SSAP database, as well as indirectly via the Wales Africa Links and the Wales Africa
Community Links, as well as Diaspora Groups and individuals’ social networks.
A copy of the survey questionnaire used in the project can be found in the Appendices
section as well as on the SSAP website.
2.2
North Wales Consultation
To maximise participation the consultation event in North Wales was organised on a
Saturday, to coincide with the monthly meeting held at the African Community Centre in
Wrexham. To facilitate participation and contributions one consultation session was held
in the morning and a second consultation session was held in the afternoon. This was a
successful strategy, as overall 20 individuals participated in the North Wales consultation
exercise.
To raise awareness of the context of the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Mapping and Engagement
project the consultation facilitator at the beginning of the session distributed information
about the Wales for Africa programme, SSAP, Wales Africa Links and Mothers for Africa
Foundation. In addition, an overview of the Mapping and Engagement project together with
the copy of the survey questionnaire was provided for each participant. The information
was well received and welcomed, as it stimulated and informed the lively discussion that
followed.
The data gathered from this consultation was primarily of qualitative nature, and focus on
the topics of needs, aspirations and expertise, which underpinned the discussion and
participant’ s contributions, with the help of post it notes and flipchart.
13
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
A sample of the event invitation can be found in the Appendices section of this report or on
the SSAP website.
2.3
South Wales Consultation and Network with Welsh Organisations
leading International Development projects
Similar to the North Wales consultation event these events had to purpose to collect
qualitative data this time from the South Wales region.
In order to widen access to participation in the South Wales consultation by Sub-Sahara
Diaspora Groups and Individuals a total of three sessions were held; one on the 11/02/12,
one on the 31/03/12 and the final session took place on the 21/04/12.
Picture 1 - South Wales Consultation 11/02/12
Picture 2 - South Wales Consultation 31/03/12
The third session was held to coincide with the visit from a representative of AFFORD and
the date of the network event organised to bring together Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups
and Individuals with Welsh organisations conducting International Development work in
Sub-Saharan Africa. This was a good strategy that attracted 55 participants to the event
who wanted their interest to be noted and would like to participate in future events.
3.0
Findings from the Mapping and Engagement
The findings presented in this section of the report were gathered at consultation and
networking events, as well as from a survey questionnaire that was distributed during the
project.
A key finding from the consultation events was the participants criticism of way large
International Development conduct their projects and initiatives “the four wheel drive
14
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
approach”, which rarely engages with local communities to identify its needs or partners
with local organisations to improve capacity building while implementing their programmes.
In contrast, the participants wanted to emphasise that their localised targeting for projects
and initiatives was due to the fact that they had local knowledge of what was needed on
the ground. They highlighted the fact that they were working with local individuals and
groups to implement their projects, and that was of very high importance to them. Although
they were working with “shoe string” budget/resources, the projects underway were
proving to be very successful due to the fact that they matched the local needs.
3.1
Survey
The survey element of the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals Mapping and
Engagement Project had a dual purpose within the Mapping and Engagement project; first
aim was to collect for the first time in-depth data regarding these groups, the second aim
was to gather quality primary data to inform the development of the digital and printed
directory of Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales.
For the purpose of the report the results of the survey will be presented by the sections as
set in the survey questionnaire; profile, links, activities, skills, experience, expertise and
organisational needs.
The survey findings show that a total of 44 completed questionnaires were received
through the Mapping and Engagement exercise conducted in North and South Wales with
the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales.
A total of 13 respondents from constituted Sub Sahara Diaspora Groups in Wales
participated and a further 31 individuals that are involved or aspire to be involved in
International Development activities also answered the questionnaire.
The first set of survey findings presented in this report are from data derived from the
constituted Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups in Wales and the second set of findings is from
individual respondents that engaged in the Mapping and Engagement exercise.
From the social and individual networks, the SSAP is aware that there may be many more
constituted Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups and Individuals conducting International
Development activities on the ground. However, it must be noted that these activities take
place in the individuals own time, as most respondents from Diaspora Groups and
individuals have professional day jobs. In addition, these groups and individuals are
dispersed throughout Wales, although anecdotal evidence identifies them as clustered
around the areas of; Wrexham, Swansea and Cardiff where there are known active
Diaspora Groups. These circumstances make it a real challenge in terms of the ability to
reach, connect and fully engage with these groups and individuals involved in International
Development activities in Wales.
15
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
Constituted Diaspora Groups
Profile
Of the 13 constituted Diaspora Groups located in North and South Wales, in terms of their
legal structure the mapping and engagement data found; six registered charities:
two foundations: two community organisations: one NGO: one social enterprise and one
other, as illustrated in chart 1,
Legal Structure
1
Community
Organisation
Foundation
1
1
Registered charity
6
NGO
2
Social Enterprise
2
Other
Chart 1- Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups Legal Structure
As for how long the groups have been established, the findings show that the longest
established group was set up in 1990. The data also shows that amongst this group there
has been an increase in the number of constituted Diaspora Groups in Wales, as three of
the twelve organisations were established in 2011, one of the respondents did not answer
this question. A detailed account of when the participants formed their organisations, is
shown in Graph1 below,
Date of Formation
3
2
1
1
1
1
1990
2003
2004
2006
2
1
2008
2009
2010
2011
Graph 1 – Date of formation of Diaspora Groups
When asked about how many members these organisations had, three of the participants
did not answer this question, while the data from nine of the respondents shows that
between them they have over 330 members.
16
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
The mapping and engagement project also asked about the gender ratio within the
organisations, and the responses show that there were 167 women and 52 men as
members of the seven organisations that answered this question. Based on the findings
from this initial Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups Mapping and Engagement project, one can
say that there are over three times more women from these groups involved in
International Development as there are men.
These findings were further echoed by the much higher level of attendance by women
than men at the consultations meetings in North and South Wales. Therefore it can be
inferred from the project’s findings that women are taking the lead in driving International
Development work within the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups in Wales.
Links
A key aspect of the Mapping and Engagement exercise is to report on the diversity of the
“live” country links the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups have, which are likely to be of interest
and beneficial to Welsh organizations who want to start or develop International
Development initiatives in these countries.
When asked about the Sub-Sahara countries with which respondents had links with, the
findings show that the represented countries within the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups
were;
 Botswana
 Burundi
 Cameroon
 Congo
 DRC
 Ghana
 Kenya,
 Malawi
 Rwanda
 Senegal
 Sudan,
 Zambia
 Zimbabwe
Within the section of Links the project also wanted to establish how many of the
respondents had official representation in those countries. The findings show that of the 12
participants four have official representation in Zimbabwe and Sudan. A further two stated
that they have some representation in Malawi and Ghana.
As for the Sub-Sahara Diasporas Groups in Wales links with Diaspora associations in the
UK, six indicated that they are linked with a number of associations, such as Voice of
Congo, New Direction for Congo, Soppro, Voice of Congolese Women, Zimbabwe
Community, Sudanese Community and BME Housing Group amongst others.
The project’s findings show that the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups in Wales have a limited
network activity with other African Diaspora Groups in the UK, thus limiting their terms of
17
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
reference for potential collaboration and ability to scale up their activities.
Activities
This section of the survey had the purpose to identify the key areas of activity of the SubSahara Diaspora Groups in Wales, their awareness of the Welsh Government
International Development strategy as well as their level of involvement with International
Development policy itself.
A further question in this section was what areas of International Development activity led
from the Welsh Government, would the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups like to be consulted
about, in the future. This question was underpinned primarily by the Millennium
Development Goals key areas of activity, together with the Partnership for Development,
Remittances, Business Development and Other to give respondents opportunity to identify
their key sectors of activity.
Overall, the data shows that the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups International Development
activities are well established in the key areas of Health, Education, Law, Finance,
Monitoring and Evaluation, Accountancy, Gender Equality and Women Empowerment
amongst others.
The project findings show that Combating Poverty and Hunger was the greatest category
of activity with 11 out of the 13 participants engaged with activities within this area.
The second highest joint type of activity was within the sectors of Education for All and
Gender Equality and Women Empowerment where eight of the twelve participants were
active. This was followed by Partnership for Development with seven of the twelve Sub
Sahara Diaspora Groups in Wales active in this area. In fourth joint place the next key
areas of activity were Maternal Health and Combating HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other
Diseases. The fifth most active key areas of activity as identified by the respondents were
Environmental Sustainability and Business Development. In sixth highest area of activity,
was Reduce Child Mortality, with four participants active in this area. The final two types of
activities were identified under the “Other” category, and they were Water and Sanitation
and a Tree Planting and Social Enterprise initiatives. An illustration of these activities is
provided in Chart 2, below
18
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
Areas of Activity
Poverty & Hunger
Education for All
4
5
11 1
Gender Eq. & Women Emp.
11
Partnership for Development
5
9
Improve Maternal Health
HIV/AIDS, Malaria & Other
6
6
8
Environmental Sustainability
Business Development
8
Child Mortality
Tree Planting
Social Enterprise
Water & Sanitation
Chart 2 – Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups in Wales – International Development Areas of Activity
Overall, these findings presented a Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups in Wales with a diverse
portfolio of interests in areas within the Millennium Development Goals and beyond, to
which they were actively committed and involved with.
When asked about their awareness of the Welsh Government International Development
strategy, the majority (ten) of the respondents stated that they are familiar with the Wales
for Africa International Development strategy, while three of the respondents were not.
Furthermore, three out of the 13 participants stated that they had been consulted by the
Welsh Government and UK Government on issues of International Development Policy
and Implementation related to their countries.
These findings substantiate the concerns of the SSAP regarding the lack of consultation
with the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups in Wales by Wales and UK governments on issues
of International Development Policy and Implementation. The data gathered from the
project survey, goes some way to provide the evidence about the need for a greater level
of engagement and discussion with these groups in Wales, particularly as all 13
respondents, who represented over 330 individual Diaspora members from their groups
stated they would like to be consulted in the future.
As for what areas of International Development Policy and Implementation that the SubSahara Diaspora Groups in Wales would like to be consulted about in the future, it can be
said that the results show an intensification of interest above the groups’ current level of
activity.
The findings show that for the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups in Wales, combating Poverty
and Hunger continues at the top of the list, all 13 respondents expressed an interest in
being consulted in this area of International Development Policy and Implementation.
The second highest areas of interest for consultation shared by three fields of activity were
19
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
Education for All, Gender Equality and Women Empowerment together with Combating
HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases, with nine groups being interested in each of those
areas. The third area of interest for future consultation was identified as Partnership for
Development followed by Reducing Child Mortality, which was identified as the fourth
highest area of activity for future consultation. The fifth joint types of activity the groups
want to be consulted about in the future were Maternal Health and Environmental
Sustainability, followed in sixth by Water and Sanitation. A visual representation of these
findings is presented in Chart 3,
Areas for Future Consultation
Poverty & Hunger
Education for All
6
1
6
12
Gender Eq. & Women Emp.
7
9
8
HIV/AIDS, Malaria & Other
Partnership for Development
Reduce Child Mortality
9
Improve Maternal Health
9
Environmental Sustainability
Water & Sanitation
Chart 3 - Policy and Implementation areas the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups in Wales want to be consulted
Skills, Experience and Expertise
The questions asked in this area of the survey aimed to map: specialist skills; track record
of activity, links and projects undertaken in the last three years. Data gathered from this
section of the mapping an engagement project will inform the development of the SubSahara Groups and Individuals in Wales – Directory and Resource Guide publication.
As anticipated, the responses from the Mapping and Engagement project show that the
Sub-Sahara Diasporas Groups in Wales possess a wide-ranging diversity of Skills,
Experience and Expertise. Their Skills, Expertise and Experience are active in a variety of
sectors of:
 Health,
 Education,
 Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment
 Social Services,
 Community Development
 Law,
 IT,
 Finance,
20
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development








Agriculture,
Water and Sanitation,
International Development,
Project and Programme Management
Monitoring and Evaluation,
Business Development and Growth,
Research,
Others.
Eight of the thirteen participants stated that they have access to very reliable information
on the ground and a further eight have stated that they have access to key International
Development stakeholders, such as:
 DFID,
 Hospitals,
 Local Government,
 Universities, World Bank,
 Commonwealth Development Programme,
 Tear Fund,
 British Council
 Others
Therefore, one can say that together they constitute a major asset for both the Diaspora
Groups and their host country, often under-tapped by those in the host country in charge
of Africa International Development policy. This was a recurring issue raised during the
consultation meetings.
“I had a position of responsibility back home”
The track record of their activities back in their country of origin is equally diverse. For
some it is their full-time activity and for others it is something that they do in addition to
their day jobs. All the respondents have at least one live project and as many as six out of
the 13 respondents have three live projects, where they make the most of their expertise,
skills, community contacts and above all the knowledge of what the community needs are.
“no one knows what the needs are back home like we do”
“we know what and how we can make a difference”
This element of the findings show what the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups can add to a
Welsh International Development practitioners that are not familiar with the norms, values
and culture of a territory where they are delivering their initiatives.
Organisational Needs
Whilst individual members of the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups have a wide range of skills,
experience and expertise, which they use in their professional roles, these are not
necessarily the same ones that are required to organise and sustain a self- sufficient, well
21
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
organised, and dynamic Diaspora Group.
The findings derived from the Mapping and Engagement with the Sub-Sahara Diaspora
Groups/Individuals in Wales conducting International Development projects; stated that the
key five organisational needs identified to support their ID activities were, as illustrated in
Chart 4,
Organisational Needs
7
1
11
Funding
Access to Information
8
Training
Professional Support
10
Continuous Support
Chart 4 - Sub Sahara Diaspora Groups in Wales greatest Organisational Needs
1. Funding – 11 respondents stated that securing Funding was their greatest need, as
it would enable them to maintain and upscale existing initiatives, and well as to
allow for the attendance of courses to increase in-house capacity and
simultaneously up-skill.
2. Access to Information and Intelligence Sharing – ten of the thirteen participants
identified this category as their second greatest need. Also it can be said that this
particular need indicated a level of desire to make the use of Information to plan
ahead which is associated with a strategic approach towards International
Development work, as well as the intention to become for effective and efficient in
their operational work.
The respondents expressed the desire to gain access to Welsh Government
publications regarding its Wales for Africa programme. In addition some also asked
for information on innovative practices in the areas of HIV/AIDS and the WASH
programme
3. Training – eight out of the thirteen participants listed this category as their third
greatest need. The listing in this category highlighted both a strategic and
operational requirements experienced by Diaspora Groups. Training plays a key
role towards capacity building, which is a major issue for Diaspora Groups. In
addition, it shows that the Diaspora Groups want to have the “Know How”.
4. Professional Support – was identified by the respondents as their fourth greatest
need, amongst which they identified writing funding applications and admin support
to be the areas where they need the professional support
5. The need was also expressed for a mechanism for continuous support
In line with a continuous monitoring and evaluation of the project and in view of the
organizational needs expressed by the project respondents, it was decided that in order to
22
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
add value to Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups in Wales Directory, two new sections should be
added to the Directory. Of these two sections, one was dedicated Funding Sources and
one dedicated for Links with other Wales, UK, EU, African and Global organizations, as
well as a number of internet forums and groups that focus on International Development
and Diaspora activities.
The aim of this addition to the Directory is primarily to expand the Sub-Sahara Diaspora
Groups in Wales’s terms of reference and to raise their awareness on International
Development activities at a Wales, UK, EU and African levels and in so doing widen their
perspective, and secondly is to include information that can be useful to anyone involved
in International Development.
Directory Listing
This question in the survey was aimed to secure consent from respondents so that they
could be included in the digital and printed Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups in Wales
Directory. The printed Directory is a standalone output developed from the primary data
collected by the survey conducted during the Mapping and Engagement and its Digital
counterpart will be a reflection of the printed version. However, the advantage of the Digital
Directory format is that it will be updated on a regular basis (monthly), with minimum
expenditure, while making good use of new technology.
When participants were asked to confirm their consent to be included in the Sub Sahara
Diaspora Groups in Wales Digital Directory, eleven of the respondents stated that they
wanted to be listed, whilst one respondent did not answer this question and one other said
that it didn’t want to be included in the Directory.
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Individuals
As explained in the Methodology section, the original intention was to Map and Engage
with Sub Sahara Diaspora Groups in Wales, once the project was underway, it soon
became apparent that there were many Individuals that wanted to take part, as they were
already undertaking small scale informal socio-economic activities that impact on their
country of origin development or were looking to get involved and or collaborate with
existing initiatives.
Faced with this pool of willing participants the Sub-Sahara Advisory Panel embraced the
opportunity to map and engage with these individuals and as such collect precious data
that will inform the development of the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Community in Wales and
their role in supporting the Welsh Government International Development strategy.
This section of the report provides a profile of Sub-Sahara Diaspora individuals in Wales,
who want to become involved or are already involved in the plan, development and
implementation of African International Development.
In total, 31 individuals returned completed survey questionnaires distributed during the
mapping and engagement project.
23
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
With regards to where are these respondents located in Wales? Of the 31 respondents, as
many as 25 came from the Cardiff area, whilst 3 came from Swansea, one was from
Newport, two did not state their location, and no individuals from the North Wales areas
completed questionnaires, (although they were well represented at the consultation event
held in Wrexham) as illustrated per chart 5 below,
Individuals
3
Cardiff
1 20
Swansea
Newport
25
No answer
North Wales
Chart 5 - Location of individual respondents
We wanted to ascertain if any of these individuals were participating in International
Development in an informal way, or were they established in alternative legal status to
those of formal Diaspora Groups.
The findings show that amongst the 31 individual participants, two had set up as charities,
one set up as a foundation and a further one set up a social enterprise, as it shown below
in chart 6,
Legal Status
2
11
Individual
Charity
Foundation
27
Social Enterprise
Chart 6
- Legal Status
We wanted to know how many Sub-Saharan countries were represented amongst the
respondents and asked which Sub-Sahara countries did they have links with?
The findings show that Sub-Sahara Diaspora Individual respondents have links with nine
countries:




Algeria
Kenya
Malawi
Nigeria
24
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development





Rwanda
Sudan
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe
In a similar way to the constituted Sub Sahara Groups respondents the Individuals were
also active in more than one area of the Millennium Goals, as well as additional areas.
When asked about their current areas of activity, the findings show that their key areas of
activity were: in joint top place were Poverty and Hunger together with Education for All; in
joint second place were Partnership for Development and Business Development; in joint
third place were the areas of Gender Equality and Women Empowerment and Combating
HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases, followed in fourth place by Reduce Child Mortality
and Remittances, in fifth place came the areas of Maternal Health and Environmental
Sustainability and in sixth place was the specific activity of Helping Children with
Disabilities. A visual representation can be seen in chart 7 below,
Areas of Activity
Poverty and Hunger
5
4
4
1
Education for All
15
Partnership for Dev.
5
Business Dev.
6
15
Gender & Women Emp.
HIV/AIDS & Other Dis.
6
Child Mortality
9
9
Remittances
Maternal Health
Enviromental Sust.
Children with Disability
Chart 7 - Sub-Sahara Diaspora Individual’s Areas of Activity
In contrast with the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups the Individuals familiarity with the Wales
for Africa International Development strategic was considerably less. With regard to this
question only eight (26%) out of the 31 individuals were familiar with Welsh Government
initiative, compared to 10 (77%) out of the 13 Diaspora Groups. In addition, seven (23%)
of the total Individual respondents did not answer this question, and 16 (52%) stated they
were not familiar with the Wales for Africa programme, illustrated in chart 8 below
25
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
Wales for Africa
7
8
Familiar with
Not familiar with
No answer
16
Chart 8 - Level of familiarity Sub-Sahara Diaspora Individuals have of the Wales for Africa programme
During the consultations this was particularly the case in North Wales, as the individual
participants appreciate the literature distributed about the Wales for Africa programme and
commented that more needs to be done to keep the Diaspora in North Wales informed.
It could be said that if the criteria for engagement with the Sub-Sahara Diaspora
Community is Wales is that they have to be constituted in formal Groups, the active SubSahara Diaspora Individuals that are doing great work will be excluded from that dialogue
and engagement. This is likely to result in leaving out of the process a valuable socioeconomic capital that wants to be counted in.
The next set of findings derives from questions regarding Skills, Experience and Expertise.
To the questions about their specialist expertise, the findings show that the Sub-Sahara
Diaspora Individuals have expertise in the areas of:
Health, Training on Maternal and Infant Health,
Mental Health, Special Needs
Social Work, Social Care
Domestic Abuse, Gender and Women Empowerment
Working with Children with Disabilities and HIV/AIDS
Community Development
Project Management
Business Development, Business Start-Up and Growth Support
Finance, HR, Marketing
Accountancy, Legal
Communication and listening skills
Of the 31 respondents, 13 (42%) had been involved with a variety of projects, and seven
had access to International Development stakeholders in their country of origin.
When asked about their Needs, the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Individuals in line with others
studies, identified that their highest need was Funding, followed by Training, followed by
Professional Support in third place, Access to Information came fourth and Other came
fifth, as illustrated per chart 9 below,
26
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
Needs
5
12
7
Funding
Training
Prof. Support
9
10
Access to Info
Other
Chart 9 - Individual Needs
1- Funding, for 12 respondents Funding made it to the top of their list of needs. The
respondents stated that they needed the funding to set up new projects, such as
build school, open a one stop shop for Women and Children, and support refugee
camp amongst others.
2- Training, this was identified by ten participants as being their second most important
needs. Their training needs requirements included: management skills; IT; Project
Management; International Development; from idea to execution, and completing
funding applications.
3- Professional Support came third highest in the list of needs identified by nine
participants. Their professional support needs include Marketing and Legal, Admin
and Website development, Networking, International Development, Business
Development, Health, Children and Women issues.
4- Access to Information, was perceived by seven respondents as their fourth most
important need. As part of the access to information they want to learn about
Project Management, Funding, IT skills and Internet, other similar organizations,
networks, links and education support.
5- In the “Other” category of needs, 5 participants logged their needs as: Business
Development training, development in Environmental Sustainability, how to run a
Project and resources and Challenges.
The needs listed in this section of the report are likely to go on to inform a schedule of
activities to be developed and delivered by the SSAP during the forthcoming year.
3.2
Consultation Events
A total of 109 individuals attended the three consultations events and one networking
event; one consultation event in North Wales attended by 20 Diaspora Groups/Individual,
followed by two consultations events in South Wales attended by 34 members of the Sub
Sahara Diaspora communities in Wales, which culminated with a networking event in
27
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
South Wales which brought together 55 members of the Diaspora community in Wales, as
illustrated below, in Chart 10
Consultation Events
20
10
55
24
North Wales
South Wales 1
South Wales 2
Network Event SW
Chart 10 – Level of Participation at Consultation and Networking Events
North Wales 04/02/12
The findings from the Wrexham Consultation Event on the 04/02/12, which attracted the
presence of 20 members from the Sub Sahara Diaspora Groups in Wales, in terms of
gender representation, similar to the survey responses, women were the highest group
represented (18), compared to men, as only attended the North Wales consultation event.
The group was diverse in terms of the Diaspora countries they represented, which were;
Kenya, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia, Mozambique, Sudan and Ghana.
The discussion with the 20 participants indicated that they were at various stages of
engagement with International Development activities and were all interested enough to
have made the time to attend the consultation event. Two of the participants had well
established projects in Kenya and Zimbabwe respectively, whilst some participants had
clear of what types of projects they would like to develop in future and others were just
considering starting a project to help their communities back home.
The types of projects the Sub Sahara Diaspora representatives expressed interest to
develop in the future are presented below, under the heading of Aspirations, below
28
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
Aspirations
In terms of aspirations, the participants conveyed with clarity what they would like to work
in the future:
Health Issues
Domestic Abuse
Forced Marriages
BME Women & Children
Teenage Pregnancy – counselling – in Nigeria
Abandoned Children (Accused of Being Witches) – in Nigeria
Youth Development
Youth Vocational Training
Education – Primary & Secondary
Small Business Enterprise for Women
Business Development: Small scale farming
Heritage, Culture & History
These activities will require a strong partnership work, so has to enable the projects to
succeed. The advantage is that the Sub Sahara Diaspora Community already have
connections at local level and therefore they are likely to have much fewer challenges than
an outsider parachuting in.
Needs
The most important needs that emerged from the consultation were:
Training – 5
Funding – 5
Admin Support – 3
Information -1
Literature -1
Communication -1
Collaboration with Other Organisations -1
Networking – 1
Expertise -1
Capacity Building – 1
Consistent with other studies, Funding and Training came at the top of their list of most
important needs, followed by the need for Administration Support.
For some, the consultation event actually helped to establish that they had Skills,
Knowledge or Expertises that it was worth using on a project in their ancestral homeland.
29
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
“I have learnt so much about how I may be able to use the knowledge
from my studies to help the community back home”
Expertise
The consultation participants identified that their expertise was in the following areas:
Health & Social Care – 3
Local Contacts – 2
Media -1
Radio, Newspapers -1
Media Technology -1
Entrepreneurship – 1
Youth and Community Knowledge – 1
Presenting – 1
Workshops – 1
Cooking -1
Education – 1
Translations/Interpretations (30 languages) – 1
By the end of the day it was clear that the morning and afternoon session and been
stimulating, and the participant’s awareness of their resource pool was much clearer.
The participants expressed the need for continued engagement between North and South
Wales Sub -Diaspora Groups and get to know and tap into each other’s projects, needs,
aspirations and expertise, so as to maximise the use of the in-Diaspora group’s resources.
South Wales Consultations
10 participants
-
6 F - 4M
The first consultation session in South Wales, took place on a Saturday to facilitate
participation, a group of 10 participants attended this session. Overall, they were very
outspoken and suggested the session was underpinned by the elements of Aspirations,
Needs and Expertise, which had underpinned the discussion in North Wales.
30
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
Aspirations
The participants identified and expressed a wide-range of aspirations and
concerns.
For the purpose of the Report the responses have been group together by
themes that show a level of affinity and relatedness.
The more spoken about aspirations expressed by the group, appeared to
focus around the areas of Self and others Empowerment, development,
capacity building, fair trade. It was clear during the discussion that the idea
was for Diaspora Groups and Individuals to collaborate more and provide support and
mentoring for young people new to formal International Development activities and
initiatives.
Below are groupings of aspirations expressed by participants;
Empower community in country of origin
Help people and community in country of origin
Self- Sufficiency
No to Aid, Yes Support fair trade
Contribute to capacity building
Education development
Combat poverty
Women’s Empowerment
Support women in their home town
Gender equality and empowerment
Motivation
Raise awareness
Education development
Be part of policy forming and decision making
Seat on boards that define projects for Africa
Help inform development needs
Be able to transfer knowledge and skills to organisations
Help train health care workers
Combat HIV/AIDS
Link with other projects in Wales, Network, establish good links
Access to a directory of all the supporting agencies
Open and honest system
Funding
Work with children,
Help orphans
Help minorities in Wales to defend their rights
As one can see the participants had a really wide portfolio of activities they would like to
get involved with in the future. The participants commented in the fact that they
appreciated the opportunity to learn about other people’s projects, had been stimulated
31
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
and motivated by the discussion, as it was giving them a platform and a voice. In addition,
now if they needed help at least they had some idea about how others may help them
Needs
Over time many studies traditionally expected the needs of Diaspora Communities to
include Funding, Training, Professional Support and Access to Information. In line
with previous work in this field those needs were also identified during the consultation
events, however, in addition, a number of new needs have also emerged.
During the consultation meetings, a number of additional needs were identified as
relevant, they were:
Admin Support
Mentoring
Networking, Knowledge of other Groups
Office Space
Advice on Partnership Work
Moral Boosters
Time
Better Local Support and Understanding
The above list is not exhaustive and it shows that there are many other important
requirements that help set up a successful International Development project. As a result
of the mapping and engagement project, one is aware that there is a more collaborative
environment amongst the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups and Individuals in Wales, and a
level of trust is beginning to emerge between project participants.
With regards to the Mentoring, it was suggested that the respondents that are well
established in International become mentors to people just starting in the field.
It can also be said, that there is an underlying wanting to build capacity to conduct solo or
joint projects.
Expertise
The expertises identified from the consultation exercise clearly affirm the existence of a
valuable pool of socio-economic and intellectual capital Waiting, Wanting, and Willing to be
tapped into.
Amongst the expertise identified were:
The golden four; Poverty, Education, Health,
Local Knowledge about Community and related Politics
Passion to make a difference and Development work
Administration, Financial and HR experience
International business management, Networks and Links
Project management, Common sense
Legal skills
Working with Disabled children
From these initial findings one can begin to see already a level of matching between what
some of the respondents need and others have to offer. This is the kind of situation where
the SSAP can make a significant difference by bringing these two groups together either in
32
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
person or by digital connection via the website.
Overall the data findings from this exercise further affirmed the findings from the survey
questionnaire.
As the consultation session progressed, and once the 3 key considerations of Aspirations,
Needs and Expertise were addressed, one of the participants suggested for us to use the
PESTLE (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environment) of analysing
a situation. During the discussion it was suggested that given the importance of Cultural
issues, this element needed to be added as a filter for the data gathering and analysis.
The findings regarding the Political considerations were:
Issues related to Instability, Governance and Corruption
Lack of Democracy
Lack of Written Defined Policies
Poor Local Leadership
Suspicion of Outsiders
Aligning one’s Projects to Local Policies and Strategy
These are all very real and live concerns that can make or break a programme or project.
As an alternative, there are people working solely at community level with people they trust
thus more or less eliminating the political can’t do/won’t do syndrome. Whilst that works
from an operational perspective, when it comes to highlight the strategic value of the work
on the ground because it seat outside the mainstream, it can easily be dismissed.
Therefore there is the need to strike a balance between the very direct grassroots
approach and involving local government in moderation.
From the Economic perspective, the respondents indicated a number of issues to be of
significance:
The need to tap into local initiatives
The extreme poverty and lack of funds
Lack of local capacity to manage large scale projects
The need to monitor and evaluate impact and outcomes
The need for sustainable job creation and income generation
Taking in consideration the above issues is critical if projects are going to give people a
long-term opportunity to create their own sustainable future.
Much has been published about changing the focus from being Aid driven to become
Investment drive. In addition, there is a global effort from Africa and from African Diaspora
host countries to put the African Diaspora community at the centre of International
Development Policy and use their socio-economic capital and local as investment to
33
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
leverage further investment funds.
When considering the Social aspects the participants stated the following:
The need to be culturally sensitive not to impose a Western values
The need to work across different ethnic groups and use their language
Mobilize communities and involve them right from the planning stage
Use participatory approaches
The need to establish and gain Trust and build capacity
Strengthen the social fabric of the community
Although these are well know critical issues for people that don’t know the norms and
values it can be very easy to oversee a small detail that can make a big difference towards
the buying into the project. No two Diaspora countries are the same and attention to detail
can make all the difference.
A very significant element is the one of Technology, and or lack of it:
The lack of Access to regular Power can cause major issues, need to harness solar
energy
Limited access to the internet
Poor IT in general
Lack of appropriate means of communication
Availability and Cost of communication
Much needs to be achieved in this area in order to maximize the efficiency of projects,
starting by having on-going power. This affects communities at a very basic level, as
without power it makes it very difficult for the children to do their home work, which affects
their school performance and in term affects their opportunity to prosper and contribute to
local development.
It is likely that much more needs to be done to improve this area, and therefore maximize
its input into the overall International Development Agenda.
From a Legal perspective, the consultation participants highlighted:
The very different legal frameworks, which may not align with Welsh legal
requirements
No one knows their rights
The difference between rural and urban Legal expectations
The vulnerability of illiteracy regarding a legal standing, together with the lack of
funds for legal protection,
Being caught in not knowing the local legal system thus becoming vulnerable to
extortion and corruption
It is easy to see how involving a Diaspora Group or Individual that has the Know How of
the related Diaspora country can make a very significant difference, if one gets embroiled
in a difficult situation where Legal advice is required.
As for the Environmental aspects the key issues raised during consultation were:
34
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
Waste management is a growing issue
Lack of water, and its impact on crops and cattle
Raise awareness about the link between sanitation and health
Food security issues, mal nutrition
Managing floods (the other extreme)
The above reflect issues raised during the South Wales consultation. The Diaspora
community highlighted our important it is to consider all these aspects when setting an
International Development project.
From all the issues raised by using the PESTLE model of analysis the participants insisted
in adding the element of Culture, as an important element for consideration, as:
Sometimes African cultural norms and values may clash with Western norms and
values
The need to respect local culture, beliefs and values is critical
Being aware of cultural practices that conflict and undermine development (health,
family, girls, women, men, education)
Awareness about the difference between urban and village cultures
Possible translation and language barriers
This aspect is one that requires fine tuning and heighten awareness as the wrong action or
word can break the trust build and derail a project.
Overall, the PESTLE + Culture provides an in-depth insight and highlights the rationale for
involving Diaspora Communities when setting up an project or programme. The knowledge
of many of these issues are intrinsic to the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Community’s life
experience and it has become part of their expert local knowledge, which can be of great
practical and strategic help to make a project a success.
When the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Individuals’ in Wales were asked if they wanted to be
listed the Directory 23 (74%) said Yes, they want to be listed in the Directory, while seven
(23%) did not reply and one (3%) said that it did not want to be included in the Directory.
4.0
How Sub Sahara Diaspora Can Add Value to Welsh led ID
The evidence from the previous section of the report and from testimonials shows that the
involvement of the Sub Sahara Diaspora Community in Welsh led International
Development is critical to running effective, efficient and successful International
Development projects.
Their involvement allows for the maximizing of resources and minimizing costs both at the
development and implementation stages of the projects.
This was achieved due to reliable and trust worthy intelligence and knowledge.
In a way the Diaspora Group or Individual is equivalent to the fixer and Mentor, one cannot
emphasize enough the value of their socio-economic and intellectual capital and how it
can make a real difference for both the project beneficiaries and for the project manager.
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Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
5.0 Key Findings

The findings from The Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Mapping
and Engagement Project Involved in International Development Report represent
the voice of over 540 individuals from the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Communities in
Wales.

The respondents represent an inter-generational Sub-Sahara Africa Diaspora
constituency, reflecting all different stages of International Development activities
from thinking about to start (pre-start), about to start, just started (last 2 years) and
well established (over 3 years) and experienced in this sector of activity.

The Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups expertises and International Development
activities are well established in the key areas of Health, Education, Law, Finance,
Monitoring and Evaluation, Accountancy, Gender Equality and Women
Empowerment amongst others.

All 13 Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups that responded to the project’s survey have at
least one “live project” underway, seven of the respondents have two “live projects”,
and half of all respondents have at least three “active projects”.

In Wales, women in the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals were identified to
be leading the way in running International Development activities.

There is a whole pool of young representatives from the Sub-Sahara Diaspora
Communities who are eager to play an active role in International Development
activities and initiatives.

At each of the consultations events, the participants were critical of the way large
International Development organisations conduct their projects and initiatives - “the
four wheel drive approach”, which rarely engages with local communities to identify
their needs or partners with local organisations to improve capacity building while
implementing their programmes.

The Diaspora landscape in Wales has changed significantly since the WCVA report
was issued in 2010 and needs updating, as many of the Diaspora Organisations
listed no longer exist.
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Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
6.0 Conclusions

There is the need for the Sub-Sahara Advisory Panel to become a membership
organization.

There is a constituency of Sub-Sahara Diasporas Groups and Individuals in Wales
who are well established, have a sound track record and credibility in conducting
International Development activities.

There is a constituency of Sub-Sahara Diaspora Individuals in Wales who aspire to
get involved with International Development that are young, enthusiastic, well
educated, and have professional expertise to input into ID activities.

The Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals are not making the most of the Welsh
led mainstream International Development networks.

The Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals involved in delivering International
Development activities are not tapping into Welsh and UK funding and resources.

There is the need for the SSAP to become an umbrella organization for the SubSahara Diaspora in Wales

There is the need to set up a robust and vibrant Sub-Sahara Diaspora Network for
the purpose of on a regular basis share and make the most of the latest intelligence
on International Development Practices, Initiatives and Opportunities from Wales,
UK, EU and Africa.

The Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales need to connect and have
an official representative voice in the Welsh Government for the purpose of
International Development policy development and implementation.

The Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales are not connected with
African Diaspora organizations in Europe.
37
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
7.0 Recommendations

The Sub-Sahara Advisory Panel will better serve the Sub-Sahara Diaspora
Community in Wales by becoming a membership organization.

There is a need for continued operational and strategic engagement and
collaboration between North and South Wales Sub Sahara Diaspora Groups, as
this will strengthen the voice, representation and engagement of this constituency
before the Welsh Government.

There is a need for Sub-Sahara Diaspora Individuals who want to be involved with
International Development activities to work together and whenever possible
become constituted as 3rd sector organisations, if they are to be able to tap into the
resources available to make their projects a reality.

Greater effort needs to be made by the Welsh Government to consult and to give
the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales an active role when
developing International Development Policy strategy and Implementation.

In order to access The Sub-Sahara Diaspora Individuals committed to conducting
International Development projects need to establish collaborative projects and
initiatives with Sub Saharan Africa Diaspora Representative bodies such as the
SSAP.

Continue to raise awareness of the social capital value of the Sub-Sahara Diaspora
Groups/Individuals in Wales by supporting the Sub-Sahara Advisory Panel as an
umbrella organisation.

Quarterly networking events to be held with Welsh organisations conducting
International Development initiatives in the Sub-Saharan Africa.

Continue to collect primary data on the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in
Wales that are active in the field of International Development.

That the SSAP organise an annual African Diaspora and International Development
Conference/Summit to bring together International Development Stakeholders and
Practitioners, Diaspora Groups and Individuals from Wales, UK, EU and Africa.
38
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
8.0
References
ADPC (2011) Mainstreaming Diaspora Initiatives into Development Cooperation Policy
Towards Africa – Evidence from Britain, France, Germany and the Netherlands.
AFFORD (1998) Survey of African Organisations in London – An agenda for AFFORD’s
action.
AFTCD and AFTQK (2007) Concept Note – Mobilizing the African Diaspora for
Development
Fragile States Unit (OSFU) The Role of the Diaspora in Nation Building: Lessons for
Fragile and Post-Conflict Countries in Africa - African Development Bank/African
Development Fund
Murray, P. (2007) Profile of UK Diaspora Civil Society Groups Involved in International
Development, 2nd Edition - Published by Connections for Development
WCVA (2010) Welsh Civil Society and the Millennium Development Goals
39
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
9.0 Appendices
Appendix 1
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups
Mapping & Engagement Project
Consultation Events
Wrexham 04/02/12 & Cardiff 11/02/12
Refreshments and a light lunch will be provided
The Sub Sahara Advisory Panel believes that the Sub Sahara perspective is often absent in
International Development policy development and implementation, the crafting of grants and
funding programmes as well as the practical delivery of initiatives and interventions.
The Sub-Sahara Advisory Panel needs your support and assistance. Please come and share
your “know how”, experience, needs and aspirations, and contribute to:
 Develop a Directory of the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups in Wales
 Identify the Capacity Building Needs and Contributions of the Sub Sahara Diaspora
Communities in Wales
We hope you will be able to join us at one of the events listed above, as your
participation is critical for the development of the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups in Wales.
For details of the events please contact:
Cardiff: Sashi by telephone on 02920 644633, or by email to Sashi@bawso.org.uk
Wrexham: Wanjiku by telephone on 01978 355818, or by email to Wanjiku@bawso.org.uk
40
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
Appendix 2
THE SUB SAHARA DIASPORA
CONSULTATION EVENT
DATE: SATURDAY 31ST MARCH 2012
TIME: 11AM-3PM
LOCATION: BAWSO, 9 CATHEDRAL ROAD, CARDIFF CH11 9HA
1.
11am: Arrival of Attendees/Registration
2.
11.30am: Opening Remarks from the Chair of the SSAP (Mutale Merrill)
3.
11.40am: Introduction to the SSAP Diaspora Groups and Mapping Project (Marilia Angove)
4.
11.50am: Consultation
5.
12.30pm: Guest Speaker Bekezela Nsingo (African Mothers Foundation)
6.
1.00pm: Lunch
7.
2.00pm: Consultation
8.
2.50pm: Closing Remarks by the Chair of the SSAP (Mutale Merrill)
9.
3.00pm: Departure of Attendees
41
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
Appendix 3
INVITATION
21/04/12
12.30pm to 4.00pm
At 9, Cathedral Road – Cardiff CF11 9HA
Welsh Organisations
with
Projects in Sub Sahara Africa
come and network with
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups
The Sub-Sahara Advisory Panel wants to invite Welsh Organisations to showcase
their Sub Sahara projects, and explore the benefits of engaging with the Sub
Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales.
As a Welsh Organisation running projects in Sub Sahara Africa, please come and
share your experience, needs and aspirations, and get to know about:
 How to add value to your International Development projects in Sub Sahara
Africa
 International Development projects run by Sub Sahara Diaspora Groups in
Wales
We hope you will be able to join us at the event, as your projects are of interest to
the Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups in Wales.
For details of the event please contact:
Angelique Umuhoza at angelique88@hotmail.co.uk
Marilia Angove at mangove@glam.ac.uk
42
Sub-Sahara Diaspora Groups/Individuals in Wales Involved in International Development
Appendix 4
43