The Wakandans came to the realisation that hoarding resources from those they can help is wrong. In their case that was vibranium; for you, the African diaspora. According to the World Bank the diaspora sent more than $38 Billion Dollars to Africa in 2017, but the diaspora most precious resource is their knowledge, skills & energy. As a new project Shabaka seeks to mobilise the diaspora to support 10 local organisations to improve their communities, initially focus on Sudan, Ethiopia & Somalia.
Despite being frontline service providers and essential support for communities affected by poverty or humanitarian crises, many local organisations in African countries face a shortage of qualified people. Often referred to as 'brain drain', local organisations and civil society often do not have the right skills sets available to them or cannot afford to hire staff.
At Shabaka we are passionate about supporting local organisations by harnessing existing technologies and the skills and knowledge of the diaspora without costing the earth. We aim to harness existing technology and platforms to enable for online volunteering removes barriers such as significant travel costs, and ensure everyone in the diaspora, including persons with disabilities can also contribute their skills and knowledge.
The aim of our project is to start with supporting 10 organisations utilising existing technology to connect them to online diaspora volunteers. As we grow, we aim to support more organisations so they can continue their vital work of making a positive impact for communities in Africa, and beyond.
