Building Bridges: Reflections on South South and Diaspora Collaboration
In late August 2025, CivSource South Africa joined the Ringo Connect discussions to explore how international civil society can work alongside locally led actors, with a focus on how diaspora communities can power collective action across the Global South. While remittances remain a major lifeline for households, the conversation surfaced why these flows often stay individual rather than becoming pooled investments that strengthen institutions, including high transfer costs, uneven access to reliable digital channels, and the trust and governance conditions needed for shared vehicles such as diaspora bonds and diaspora philanthropy. The key insight was clear: diaspora collaboration depends on more than money, it depends on trust, solidarity, and practical infrastructure that can translate individual support into sustained collective impact.