Having traveled extensively across various continents, including Europe, America, and Australia, I’ve noticed a recurring theme among African migrant communities : a pervasive lack of unity despite living as minority groups in these countries.
While it is common for migrant communities to face challenges in fostering unity, the African migrant community in first world countries appears to struggle significantly more than others. Interpersonal conflicts arise easily, communities become unnecessarily fragmented along national, ethnic, or tribal lines.
The issue of disunity, mistrust, and fragmented efforts within African migrant communities is not new; it has persisted for a considerable period. Lately, I have begun pondering whether anyone has evaluated the economic cost of such behaviors. What figure accurately represents the missed opportunities in terms of employment, entrepreneurship, and community advocacy projects?
Undoubtedly, the economic cost of disunity and mistrust within a migrant community can be substantial. When there is a lack of unity and trust, several negative consequences arise, significantly affecting the economic well-being of community members. The absence of trust and unity can create barriers to accessing employment, education, and business opportunities. New migrants who lack support and guidance from their more established peers are likely to struggle, spending a significant amount of time learning on their own and making avoidable mistakes.
Other migrant communities, such as Jewish and Asian communities, have long recognized the importance of mutual support. They actively strive to assist newcomers in integrating into the community, finding employment, starting businesses, and investing in real estate to build wealth. Through this collective effort, they quickly gain the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the system, thus ascending the social ladder within a relatively short period.
Lack of trust and unity also has a negative impact on Entrepreneurship. Historically, migrant communities have played a crucial role in entrepreneurial activities, establishing businesses and creating job opportunities in their host countries. However, disunity and mistrust can hinder entrepreneurship within the community. A lack of trust discourages investment and collaboration, thereby limiting business growth and stifling innovation. When people fail to work together, they may individually achieve success, but they miss out on the collective strength that could be harnessed.
The missed opportunities resulting from the lack of trust and disunity within the African-Australian community are undoubtedly worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Trust lies at the core of every economic activity and constitutes an essential element in fostering a vibrant and prosperous community.
Clyde S. Sharady
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