Kenya Diaspora Network (KDN) Launches a Skillsbank Database for Kenyans

Kenya Diaspora Network-KDN announced today the launch of the Skills-Bank Database which will enable the Kenyan Diaspora community in knowing and identifying its resources capability in a faster, reliable and efficient manner.

Washington DC (PRWEB) July 27, 2004 -- Kenya Diaspora Network-(KDN) announced today the launch of the Skills-Bank Database which will enable the Kenyan Diaspora community in knowing and identifying its resources capability in a faster, reliable and efficient manner.

In making this announcement KDN stated that the eventual purpose of the Database will be to encourage and facilitate the utilization of the collective talents and resources of the Kenyan Diaspora, in North America and the World, in advancing the collective interests of Kenyans in the country and throughout the Diaspora. The Database will help facilitate pooling of the resources and expertise of Kenyan organizations and their individuals members into a unified, coordinated and constructive whole towards the common goal of supporting the socio-economic development of Kenya. The ultimate goal is to match needs to skills or interest as development initiatives progress as underlined within the Country Economic Plan. In particular, utilizing the Diaspora resources, through capacity building, to strengthen and sustain the existing local institution i.e. NGO, CBO, CBD.

On asked why the database. Mr Michael Okomo of KDN simply stated Know thyself, know your value". He then elaborated In identifying our collective numbers and resource capabilities and then aligning them within development sectors, to include Advocacy, we will be able to quantify the value we bring to anyone both within the host country and also at home. And I mean value to the dollar, to the effort, to the policy debate."

In this age of global commerce physical repatriation is very minimal if at all. If the role of the Diaspora has been on Human Resource Development, including Skills bank development, creation of investment trust fund , reversing the brain drain, development of scientific and technical knowledge centers to channel repatriation of knowledge from the Diaspora, then it is my sincere belief technology will facilitate this and that the database is a beginning in how all these basic moving and diverse pieces can be tied together to enable faster communication and the mobilization of the Diaspora resources on universally acceptable goals."    

The Washington DC based Kenya Diaspora Network (KDN), which is linked to the Western Hemisphere African Diaspora Network (WHADN) an initiative of the African Union (AU); is a secretariat for Kenya Organizations in the Diaspora, linking Kenyan organizations in the Diaspora with each other, the Kenyan government, local communities, other civil societies, private sector and national and international development actors.

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