We’re in the final strait of our #switchboard project, generously supported by USAID – Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance so we thought it was timely that we put the two protagonists together in a room – Bashàïr Ahmed (Shabaka CEO) and Daniela Villacres (Lead for Diaspora and Civic Engagement at USAID – so they could discuss the concept, the ambition and the scale. Or in movie parlance, the origin story. Using #technology, it aims to facilitate connections among different generations and networks of #diaspora actors to encourage knowledge exchange between communities and generations and produce new ideas related to #humanitarian action.

Its main objectives are to :

• Improve the reach and impact of diaspora humanitarianism through the development of an innovative Switchboard, which will include a mobile application and a dedicated microsite with different content

• Increase and sustain knowledge and access to education on diaspora humanitarian engagement, especially for 1.5 and 2nd generation diaspora

• Strengthen diaspora networks, bridging generational divides, to improve capacity and action in response to humanitarian crises