I am always baffled by those who expect people in the
diaspora to send money home for the needy, and yet this money amounts to
roughly 10% of the total contribution they would send if it was for a business
venture or an entrepreneurial endeavour. For example, in the security industry
in several countries in the west are diaspora-owned and run. Here lies a business
opportunity for governments to create a conducive environment for these
companies to operate and provide these world-class services in countries of
origin.
I didn’t even want to mention the health care sector, where
the lack of skills and facilities is desperate. As an example,
I currently mentor a lady with
over 30 years of nursing experience and 20 years of working in the private
medical sector and yet has no knowledge of certain fairly common medical equipment
that non-medically trained support and
care workers in the West are easily able to recognise and even operate.
So now tell me, isn’t this a huge opportunity for people in
the diaspora to contribute to the economy in their home countries? Forget about
the money, just consider the wealth of information and training that these
skilled professionals can offer?
And FYI, because of the Euro crisis, so many skilled people
want to go back home but have no idea of where to start. Don’t you think it is in
the interest of governments to create a platform of entrepreneurship?
