In 2014, GK Partner (GKP) developed two innovative schemes namely Diaspora Fellowship and Diaspora Technical Support programmes. These were implemented in the European Union countries and in Norway and Switzerland. The fellowship focussed on placing young and second-generation professionals in national and international development institutions. The technical support scheme deployed experienced diaspora professionals to undertake development cooperation assignments in support of African governments and public institutions.

In January 2018, Section 5.3 of the Gambian Diaspora Strategy (GDS) committed the country to the creation of a Diaspora Development Fund (DDF) to co-finance diaspora-led projects and impact investments. In November 2018, Objective 19 of the United Nations Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) also committed Member States to: “Develop targeted support programmes and financial products that facilitate migrant and diaspora investments and entrepreneurship…..support in business creation, granting seed capital-matching, establish…..diaspora development funds…..Build partnerships between local authorities, local communities, the private sector, diasporas, hometown associations and migrant organizations to promote knowledge and skills transfer”.

In 2020/21, under the Migration and Sustainable Development in The Gambia (MSDG) project, GKP piloted The Gambia’s Diaspora Development Fund, appointing the DDF project leaders as Diaspora Fellows. Total project grants of €74,890 (Euros) were provided to 10 Diaspora Fellows, who successfully generated a further €710,280 (Euros) through cash donations, technical expertise, and in-kind materials, supplies and resources. For every 1 Euro provided, the diaspora generated a further 9.4 Euros. Consequently, the pilot DDF scheme generated socioeconomic investment of €785,170 (Euros), being equivalent to about 50 million Gambian Dalasi. This demonstrated the viability of DDF-based fellowships and reconfirmed the resourcefulness, commitment and productivity of the diaspora as development actors. With co-finance from the Government of Switzerland, a full-scale DDF and fellowship programme was implemented in The Gambia in 2022-24.

Between 2021 and 2024, GKP appointed 54 MSD Diaspora Fellows and co-financed 67 DDF projects. The diaspora-led community and national projects had major impacts in diverse sectors in rural and urban Gambia, including the creation of 576 jobs and institutional support for eight Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). GKP provided cash grants of €500,000 Euros (about 37 million Dalasi), and the grant awardees leveraged and raised €4 Million Euros (about 295 million Dalasi) in cash and in kind.

The DDF and Diaspora Fellowship programme continues to use co-financing and technical support as practical means of stimulating, leveraging, expanding and enhancing different forms of diaspora contributions to national development. With co-finance from the International Organization (IOM), a new cohort of 15 Diaspora Fellows were appointed in The Gambia in 2026, to undertake short-term (3-months) projects. A total of $115,000 (about 8 million Dalasi) was disbursed to the fellows, 11 of whom were newly appointed Fellows.