How Somalia’s African Diaspora Assist Somalia

Giving in African societies is part and parcel of everyday life, reflecting patterns of care, reciprocity, and religious practices. In times of conflict and socio-natural disasters, giving to kin, compatriots, or even strangers are well-established means of solidarity and emergency assistance. Giving comes with implications, however, that range from expressions of care, reciprocity, to projections of power and expectations of loyalty and political support. 

Much literature on diaspora giving focuses on the involvement of the ‘far’ diaspora in Western countries through remittances and/or contributions to development or disaster relief while local practices of giving on the continent are under-researched. 

On 23 January 2024, the Rift Valley Institute will host a public forum in Eastleigh to share findings from the Diaspora Humanitarianism in Complex Crises project, which examines how Somali diaspora groups mobilize, channel, and deliver humanitarian assistance to Somali communities during complex crises. This research, conducted through multi-sited fieldwork in Somalia, Somaliland, Puntland, Kenya, and Zambia, is a collaborative effort between the Danish Institute for International Studies, the Institute for Development Studies at the University of Nairobi, and the Rako Research and Communication Centre in Somaliland. The presenters are Somali PhD researchers and Kenyan senior faculty at Nairobi University.

The forum seeks to engage the Somali community in Eastleigh, including the Eastleigh Business Community, local leaders, Somali researchers and practitioners. 

Register here: https://riftvalley.wufoo.com/forms/giving-in-africa-eastleigh-forum

Location, Date, Time:

10am – 12.30pm・Tuesday 23 January 2024
Nomad Palace・Eastleigh・Nairobi

Panellists

Moderators
Mohammed Hassan
Rako Research

Dr Rahma Hassan
University of Nairobi

Presenters
Abdirahman Edle Ali
PhD Researcher 

Fatima Dahir Mohamed
PhD Researcher

Sahra Koshin
PhD Researcher

Dr Obadia Okinda
Senior Researcher

Professor Karuti Kanyinga
Project Lead/PI