20 minute read
The role of remittances
Making Christmas for family back home
The amount of money sent abroad to relatives is set to rise by £4 billion, with families in Britain leading the way. By Leah Mahon
AS THOUSANDS of families settle down for the Christmas season in Britain, there are many others that will be making sure their families across the world also have a festive season to remember.
For people whose heritage lies in Africa and the Caribbean, the practice of sending money ‘back home’ — or remittances — has long been ingrained in our culture and throughout generations.
The amount of money sent by people to low and middle-income countries has grown by 4.2 per cent to £515 billion in 2022, following an almost record recovery of 8.6 per cent in 2021, according to the World Bank.
World Remit, a global money transfer service, reported that global users have sent nearly £270 million to Nigeria, £170 million to Kenya, £145 million to Ghana, £100 million to Uganda and £75 million to Cameroon in the period to June 2022.
The remittances market is predicted to increase by £4.1 billion by 2026 with the UK being dubbed a “major send country” after a 30 per cent growth spurt in 2021. Kenya Abaneme, 37, below, who has lived in Britain since 2011, tells The Voice that sending money to Nigeria has always been a “duty”.
“I still have family back home in Nigeria, my parents are there. I have an 11-year-old son that is in boarding school. So, I have to send money to support his studies and also help out my parents, because they are retired now. Just a dutiful daughter, just to send some appreciation,” she explains.
Six years ago, the now mumof-two says she was a student and already had been sending money home intermittently, but once she secured a full-time job in the energy industry, giving back to her Nigerian family became a “monthly commitment” as the biggest earner out of three siblings. Ishmael Lea South, 49, told The Voice that sending money home to Jamaica has always been a part of family life.
He says: “I saw my parents doing it. My parents used to do it by post to their cousins, siblings and my mother. My father’s mother died when he was young [so needed financial support]. When we first went to Jamaica on holiday, we would come in contact with some of our cousins [that was when I started sending money back]. And we’ve got one brother, the eldest brother who’s never been to the UK.”
Over in Britain, the cost of living crisis has also gripped the purse strings of many households as energy, food and fuel costs spike.
However, the sense of responsibility, Kenya admits, is a part of her personality and “doesn’t really think about it” despite expecting to send more money over during the Christmas period especially.
“It does take a strain on my budgeting and savings, but I don’t really consider it too much of a burden,” she says.
“I tend not to think of it as too much of a hassle, because if I do it will weigh down on me too much.”
Ishamel also says that the sense of duty to provide for others less fortunate back home continues despite the rising costs to live, and especially as millions in Africa and the Caribbean prepare to celebrate Christmas. He adds that it’s important to “send something as a family” and his reasons for doing so are simple.
“Charity begins at home with your immediate family. Whether it’s your cousin or siblings.
“Yes, we have it tough here in the UK. But our immediate fam-
ily also has it tough in the Caribbean as well,” he says.
Kenya admits that the “currency value” of converting the British pound in Nigeria goes a long way. The acknowledgement of this is also entangled with a complicated relationship with the Empire.
Persistent economic depriva-
SEASON OF GOODWILL:
Many families in the UK make sure that family overseas also have a festive season to remember (photo: Getty Images) GLOBAL HELP: More than £500 billion has so far been sent to low and middle-income countries in 2022 (photo: Getty Images)
It does take a strain on savings, but it’s not too much of a burden
tion in these countries has its roots in colonialism, and that some of these countries have only existed independently for less than 100 years.
For both Kenya and Ishamel, they say they have sent thousands of pounds back home over the years, and are not weighed down with the notion of adding to stereotypes about the “third-world countries” when their families deserve to “treat themselves” to a good Christmas this year like millions across Britain.
“It’s a duty [to send money home]. Many of us in the UK, we do say there’s a lot of racism and discrimination, but still there’s much more benefits here than many other countires.
Every time we go to Africa and the Caribbean, people are always saying they want to come to England,” Ishmael says. “Many of us here, especially from the black community, take for granted that we’re living in a first-world nation and we should use that benefit to benefit our siblings and our families in Africa and the Caribbean this Christmas.”
Humanity at its best
Matthew Chadder asks why so many headlines surrounding African and Caribbean players are negative when the stars are doing good things in their communities
PREMIER LEAGUE star Wilfred Zaha has recently donated money for a school in the Ivory Coast — does this headline sound familiar? Probably not.
“Obscene Raheem” or “Raheem shoots himself in foot” may ring more of a bell — and the question is why?
Why are so many headlines surrounding Afro-Caribbean players negative and misleading? Where are the humanitarian stories of these very same footballers; the good they do in their community; the money they spend positively?
The gambling stories and drunken nights out are plastered all over front pages for all to see — but the good that is being done is hidden away.
SHOWCASE
Eleven years ago, Francis Nkwain decided enough was enough and founded the Best of Africa awards to celebrate black excellence and showcase the humanitarian side of these footballing superstars.
And, as Francis recalls, it is all thanks to one informal dinner conversation with a group of footballers.
He told The Voice: “It was more a question of what these gentlemen would do that summer, the likes of Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Sebastien Bassong (both from Cameroon) and Salomon Kalou (Ivory Coast). They all seemed to be taking time in their schedules to visit an existing project in their home countries or embarking on something either in the field of education or health. This struck a nerve with me.
“From that informal conversation it took ten days to put the very first BoA together. The intention behind this was to say to the players, ‘you’re never really getting the opportunity to speak with each other, but you seem to share the same sense of reality of doing things back in your different countries’.”
A seemingly endless list of people involved in this humanitarian work exists and it includes some of English football’s most famous stars, making it all the more shocking that the light has not been shone upon their efforts,
“Whether it was the Kalous, Drogbas, Eto’os or the Adebayors, wherever they found themselves, they were doing these things quite naturally. I was blown away by just how committed these gentlemen were, they would give up their time and resources.
“Part of our responsibility was how we helped them identify better practices, organisations that can better deliver on the things they want to deliver.”
The fantastic work of these footballers is continuing today, yet still going largely unnoticed, with Nkwain pointing towards a poignant recent example of biased coverage. “Raheem Sterling and Leon Bailey did a fantastic project where they travelled out to Jamaica. But the column interest that it received was unfair, because it leaned more towards the fact that Prince William was there at the same time as them.
“The lack of public attention around their work is of no interest however to these footballers who are simply seeking to make a difference.”
COMMON GOAL:
Former Chelsea star Didier Drogba has worked tirelessly in the Ivory Coast FORCE FOR GOOD: Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha has his own foundation in the Ivory Coast that helps widows and children when they go to school; below, Best of Africa awards founder Francis Nkwain
FANTASTIC
The BoA founder went into detail about a fantastic story of a current and former African Premier League star.
“Yves Bissouma had been doing a lot of work back in Mali, and he had a teammate at Brighton, Gaetan Bong, who had been doing a lot of work in Cameroon and in Tanzania and he decided that he mustn’t limit himself to the geography that he calls home.
“He partnered up with Gaetan Bong to do a set of orphanages which they are planning to roll out across the coming years through the continent. These kind of projects exist, they don’t do them for news, but we as family encourage and support them and that is the spirit of the BoA evening, we come together just to say ‘whilst the world may not see you, we see you’.”
Zaha, speaking to Crystal Palace’s official website, said: “In my country, I have a foundation that helps widows and kids when they go to school.
“I will buy food for them, I will buy backpacks with equipment that they need for school.
“I recently bought a football club in my country. There are so many kids that obviously want to play football and there are not that many opportu nities. I’m glad God has blessed me with the opportunity to reinvest in my country and actually buy a team, which is crazy to say out loud!
“I have an academy as well, the Wilfried Zaha Academy. [Children] come to play for the academy. If they want to take it seriously and they are good enough, they have the opportunity to play for my club. That’s just another way to make it out.”
With the household names finding it hard enough to gain this positive coverage, it is the even smaller humanitarian stories which are being lost in history that Nkwain believes to be “just as important.”
“Diomansy Kamara back in the day identified a country that wasn’t his, Mali, and decided to build a football academy, with his earnings, not just for business, but at the start as a home away from home for young boys who are maybe involved in street life. From that it has grown into something else and given such rewarding feelings, and earnings and structure to multiple individuals and families.”
Despite the vast gap in wealth and resources between male and female athletes, it has not slowed some women down, as they continue to make great strides and influence change too.
“Assisat Oshola, her foundation work in Nigeria is bordering on eight years old now,” adds Nkwain.
“In Uganda, Eniola Aluko has been able to lift the profile and participation of young girls in sport, truly phenomenal. Jean Ssenide has been with us on numerous occasions, the advocacy that she brings to different aspects of the game, the fights that she leads through the intelligence of her words, whether they be in books or programmes that she is invested in, have made great strides for us as a people.”
FAME
Whilst Best of Africa does exist to showcase these stories, the people involved are not looking for fame and recognition — but rather a chance to showcase the good being done in an effort to share a common goal.
“We choose to celebrate and exhibit this in the privacy of our little gathering because the heart of what it is, is our shared humanity,” says Nkwain.
“That shared humanity is what we try to celebrate, not how starry your name is or how dizzying the numbers in your bank account are. They are not as important to us, as the example that you provide as a person who has the option to look away and chooses not to.”
Hopefully, one day the hateful headlines will be replaced with humanitarian ones, and these players will be recognised for the good they are doing and will continue to do.
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Pressure grows on BBC over the threat to black shows
Celebs join battle to save local African and Caribbean programmes as MPs prepare to grill public broadcaster’s bosses. By Vic Motune
THE BBC is facing increasing pressure to U-turn over a proposal to axe black local radio shows.
MPs and celebrities have signed an open letter calling on the public broadcaster to reject the cuts.
BBC bosses face a grilling by MPs on the culture and media committee, as furious black staff discussed the plans at an event organised by the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity.
Famous figures who have signed the letter to the Beeb include actors David Harewood and Adrian Lester, MP Dawn Butler, Baroness Doreen Lawrence and Lord Simon Woolley.
They are urging the BBC not to reduce broadcast hours, staff or production spend on these shows following the announcement of the cuts to local radio last month.
The action was coordinated by Black Equity Organisation (BEO), a powerful anti-racist group headed by Dame Vivian Hunt.
Earlier this month The Voice exclusively revealed the fears of black BBC production staff the corporation’s proposed budget cuts and reorganisation mean that African Caribbean and Asian programmes on local radio would be axed.
BEO said it was concerned about the “devastating impact” the cuts would have on black licence-fee payers who “rely on these programmes as vital sources of community news”.
It added that the “little black audiences have, is in danger of being taken away”.
The letter continued: “Unlike other communities, black people in Britain have no dedicated national broadcast channel with news, current affairs and topical issues specific to their lives. There are 1.9 million people of black heritage in the UK. In an average week, this audience only has two hours of dedicated programming, primarily from where they live via BBC local radio.”
The black regional radio shows, broadcast every Sunday evening, discuss issues like sickle cell, the Windrush Scandal, as well as broader issues of racism.
TALENT
The coalition of MPs and celebrities say the BBC proposals are inconsistent with the corporation’s obligation to properly reflect Britain’s diverse communities.
There is also concern at the impact cuts would have on developing a black talent pipeline at the BBC, as working on those shows has been a key route to get BBC contracts.
Media diversity campaigner Marcus Ryder was one of the speakers at a special panel debate called ‘BBC Local Radio Cuts – Could Diversity Be the Biggest Casualty?’, held at Birmingham City University (BCU).
He told The Voice: “This shouldn’t just be about avoiding cuts. This should be an opportunity to start a dialogue with diverse audiences, to engage in some fresh thinking about how best it reflects these diverse audiences.
“Viewing and listening habits are changing so we need a discussion about what serving these audiences look like in a changing media landscape.”
Rupa Huq, MP for Ealing Central and Acton, is expected to take a lead in grilling BBC executives when they appear before the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport parliamentary select committee.
BBC insiders have revealed that bosses want to take the Sunday evening regional black ‘magazine’ shows off air and replace them with a single programme on the digital app, BBC Sounds.
As well as fighting the plans, many commentators are questioning whether the BBC sees racial diversity as a priority, despite the BBC Charter enshrining this as one of their goals.
The BBC has admitted that it lags behind other broadcasters in BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic) viewer share.
For more than a century, the BBC has been hailed as a national institution that plays a key role in shaping and reflecting the identity of Britons through its broadcasting.
But it has also been criticised for failing to accurately portray the lives of black communities who have helped build and shape our multicultural society.
Before the 1990s, BBC shows rarely addressed the experiences of minorities unless it was to highlight racial tensions.
This was the context in which shows like Black Britain, The Real McCoy, and Blouse and Skirt were created to increase the representation of people of colour on BBC programming.
However, these communities remain an underserved audience. Despite record numbers of major broadcasters including the BBC making public pledges to increase diversity following the Black Lives Matter demonstrations of 2020, it now seems as though these commitments have slid to the bottom of the agenda.
Ed Adoo, who presents the African Caribbean show on BBC Three Counties told The Voice: “We had a meeting with bosses and were told that the BBC is committed to these shows but we have no idea what form or structure this commitment will take. We’re still waiting to hear.”
He continued: “I’ve always trusted the BBC to deliver for local audiences, in particular to the listeners of the African Caribbean and Asian shows. However, I feel the BBC has really fallen short of its mantra on diversity. These shows are the only platform for black and Asian communities on BBC Local Radio.
“The shows feature important stories about the Windrush for example, sickle cell or the Luton or Northampton carnivals, incredible stories which may not necessarily get shared on the mainstream daytime outputs. The BBC is a public service broadcaster, its output is funded by the licence fee payers and these audiences have a right to a voice.
“It just feels like the BBC hasn’t really truly valued African Caribbean and Asian programming on local radio. If they did, they would have consulted with these audiences.”
RIGHT TO A VOICE:
BBC presenter Ed Adoo says it feels like the BBC don’t value black audiences
INDICTMENT
BBC insiders and media industry commentators say the planned cuts will worsen an existing lack of diversity among BBC radio staff.
A 2021 report from The Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity provided a damning indictment of ethnic representation in BBC local radio newsrooms which are meant to serve communities across the country.
The report, called Diversity of Senior Leaders in BBC Radio News, found that only six percent of the BBC’s Radio News senior leadership across the UK
CHANGES: The BBC recently announced changes to local radio programming which Black staff say will see African and Caribbean shows cut from the schedule
Nations are people of colour and only eight per cent across its entire News and Current Affairs division. Earlier this year, the BBC was accused of failing to tackle a negative culture towards black staff after its latest Equality and Diversity report revealed that there was not a single black person employed in a leadership role in the corporation’s production sector for a second year running.
Former BBC London presenter Henry Bonsu told The Voice: “I would be concerned as somebody who used to broadcast on BBC London. I remember the landmark BBC report People and Programmes from 1996, which led to the setting up of a lot of these diverse programmes around the country. It found that BBC local radio had almost no black audience. These programmes helped to turn that around. It would be a shame if, at a time of heightened awareness of diversity, and all the promises that the BBC and other broadcasters have made postGeorge Floyd, the corporation were to roll back on these programmes.”
A BBC spokesperson told The Voice: “We are committed to
reflecting all communities in our output. We’ll confirm programmes for the new schedules in due course.
“We’re investing more in audio commissioning for community programmes, in particular, so the voices and programmes our audiences love and feel deeply connected to will be available to a wider audience on BBC Sounds. We are in direct conversations with everyone impacted by these proposals. We will look at each programme on a case-by-case basis. We always have the door open for future and existing talent.
“More broadly the BBC remains committed to reflecting and representing the diverse audiences it serves both on and off-air. Latest figures show more black, Asian and ethnic minority staff are joining the BBC, than leaving, as published in the BBC’s Equality Information Report.”
Asked as to whether or not the BBC had a firm commitment to keeping the shows, the spokesperson said: “It is incorrect to report that we are ending all of our black and Asian community programmes.
“We have outlined proposals for our weekend and afternoon schedules and are currently consulting with staff about this. We hold ourselves to the highest standards when it comes to representation of all backgrounds and diversity is a priority for us.”
LOCAL VOICE: Jacqueline Shepherd presenting on BBC London (photo: Instagram)
BBC is homogenising black communities
Montel Gordon says axing local shows disenfranchises the local community and the plan shows how out of touch Auntie Beeb has become
THE BBC is seemingly intent on axing all regional black magazine shows and instead replacing them with just one. This massacre would affect the closure of an estimated 48 staff posts with the BBC aiming to focus on producing digital content with their platform BBC Sounds.
This homogenising of the black communities throughout the country under the banner of just ‘one’ shows how out of touch the BBC are with reality.
More so, this move is a continuation of the long-running elimination of black shows.
The whole point of regional black shows is the regional issues facing the local community — it’s an insult to the black community to give one show on BBC Sounds which is difficult to find and navigate.
The Voice’s understanding of the BBC’s reasoning behind this is these shows are not reaching the younger audience as they attempt to divert attention to things that would compete with TikTok.
With their bad rep for youth-related content, it would be better to establish additional content that relates to young people than axing these shows. At times, saying initiatives or shows (like this for instance) are not reaching the ‘younger generations’ seems an easy cop out and equally, should that mean, we must forget the generation that these shows appeal to?
Rhodri Talfan Davies, the director of Nations at BBC, in charge of Nations and local audiences across Britain, stated “the plans will help us connect with more people in more communities right across England — striking a better balance between our broadcast and online services — and ensuring we remain a cornerstone of local life for generations to come.”
These shows remain important to our community and pivotal towards our community allowing people to share their thoughts on the latest news/popular culture in a way national radio cannot.
As Elonka Soros, former BBC Editor of Diversity and Communities, summarised on presenter Devon Daley’s show, the distinctiveness of hearing your news in your local area, the issues that may occur and people sharing their experiences, is something where it only occurs on local radio.
This has not been the first time the BBC has attempted to enclose local radio shows. Previously in 2019, they attempted to axe broadcaster Dotun Adebayo’s show on Radio London which was reversed due to severe backlash on a longstanding anchor for the BBC. The regional magazine shows remain integral components to not only the black community but many others throughout the UK. Axing these shows disenfranchises communities.
Local radio has helped establish careers of prominent journalists and broadcasters and particularly for those outside the capital with smaller black population, a place to hear what’s actually happening in your community.
This plan ultimately destroys the infrastructure of radio as we know it.
