“I see the ambassadorship for IOM as recognition of my efforts in the field of development cooperation. I am very happy with that.” said Abubakarr Bangura in a broadcast by Omroep Tilburg. Abubakkarr is Ambassador of our Connecting Diaspora for Development (CD4D) project.
Together with nine other participants in CD4D, Abubakarr is a committed Ambassador engaged in promoting diaspora engagement in countries of origin. All are proud to show what motivates them to help their country of origin with sustainable development. Abubakarr is involved in education in Sierra Leone that prepares young people for healthcare, education and agriculture or where they can lay the foundation for their own business. He strives to establish ties between Sierra Leone and the Netherlands. With Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) he has for instance arranged internships in international entrepreneurship for young Sierra Leoneans interested in starting up their own business. Abubakarr also guides starting entrepreneurs with selling their products in the Netherlands: “We live in a global village; we are all connected. People here help young people in Sierra Leone and the Tilburg municipality also makes subsidies available.” Later this year, Omroep Tilburg will travel to Freetown in Sierra Leone for a documentary about Abubakarr’s work.
Also in the news was Ambassador Zuhur Mohamed; she was interviewed by Loksan Harley for his podcast on Migration & Diaspora. Financial specialist Zuhur returned to her native Somaliland where she was able to help the government with the digitalization of the financial administration: “CD4D was an amazing experience: to be able to work in the country where I was born but also to help with the redevelopment at the Ministry of Justice. (…) I really want to go back and live there again. I’ve fallen in love with the country and want to participate in redevelopment.”
“I Strongly Believe Technology can Help Lift People Out of Poverty”