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Technical bursaries for immigrant
experts
Many immigrants
living in Europe have been able to broaden the range of their professional and
technical skills and learn about running a community association. They also
make significant contributions to their country of origin, not only by sending
money but by passing on their skills and knowledge.
Several studies
have shown that these transfers of money, goods and social skills can have a
real importance and in many cases contribute to the development of villages
and regions in the country of origin .
Since 1996 PANOS
Institute Paris has been implementing a concrete system of support for group
and individual projects by immigrants, as active players in co-operation.
The operation enables
those with ideas for projects to carry out short assignments in their county
of origin. It also aims to provide the support that is needed for these missions
to be as effective as possible and to bring them to the attention of the French
public.
The present, experimental,
fellowship scheme is open to immigrant communities living in France and originating
from countries in the South (West Africa, Asia, western North Africa). Since
1996, the scheme has been supported by the Greater Paris Regional Council (Conseil
Régional Ile de France). CCFD, a French development NGO, has also been
supporting the initiative since 1998.
Every year, over
20 bursaries worth from 1200 to 1800 euros are awarded to immigrants with a
project for the transfer and/or exchange of skills with their country of origin.
Under the scheme, a wide range of assignments - dealing with new information
and communication technologies (ICT), hydraulics, renewable energy, socio-cultural
activities, sport, etc - have been funded in a number of countries, e.g. Morocco,
Algeria, Mali, Mauritania, Vietnam, Congo and Cape Verdi
The scheme is also
one of the means used by the "Migration, Pluricultural Integration and
Development" programme to launch action-research on the transfer and exchange
of skills and know-how. The assessment proposed in 1999 is the first step.
For the moment
the bursaries are only available to immigrants living in France. However, we
hope to be able to extend the scheme to other European countries.
For further information on this initiative, you can consult
the French part of the site dealing with bursaries (link to "projet
bourses") or contact us directly
(link to "contact")
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