The newest addition to the EUDiF Capacity Development Lab (CDL) portfolio is a joint endeavour with the Forum des Organisations de Solidarité Internationale issues des Migrations (FORIM) to strengthen the capacities of diaspora organisations in France. 

Empowering diaspora-led development

FORIM is a French platform that brings together around 1,000 associations working on migrant integration actions in France or developmental projects in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, the Pacific Islands, and the Indian Ocean. Its mandate centres on forging cooperation between diaspora-led international solidarity groups (Organisations de Solidarité Internationale issues de l’Immigration), and providing them with support. This ranges from facilitating dialogues to organisational structuring, local project financing, and capacity development. 

One of FORIM’s core programmes, the Programme d’Appui aux projets des Organisations de Solidarité Internationale issues de l’Immigration (PRA/OSIM), offers training, accompaniment, and financing of micro-projects carried out by diaspora groups in their countries of origin. Launched in 2003, the PRA/OSIM programme is financed by the French development agency (Agence Française de Développement). Through the programme, FORIM runs annual calls for proposals; selected projects receive €15,000 in co-financing. FORIM has accredited 24 ‘support operators’ (Opérateurs d’Appui Labellisés – OPAP) to accompany diaspora organisations through the conceptualisation- and later implementation- process, regardless of the organisation’s level of experience. The support operators are collectives of FORIM’s member organisations skilled in project design and management. The support they provide on over 200 aspiring projects includes technical and intercultural expertise, and familiarity with project implementation in territories of origin. This unique scheme facilitates cascade learning among peers and has proven successful in upskilling diaspora organisations in France, as demonstrated by the ever-improving quality of applications made.

Strengthening FORIM’s support capacities and cascade learning within diaspora

Our objectives

To build on the success of the accompaniment programme, FORIM seeks to develop targeted thematic capacities of its own staff and the 24 accredited support operators. To achieve this, EUDiF and FORIM will work with experts to conduct needs assessments, create tailor-made training modules, and run ‘trainings of trainers’ on selected subjects

Intended impact

This action seeks to strengthen the role of diasporas as agents of cooperation and sustainable local development. Strengthening FORIM’s support capabilities will have a knock-on effect on the developmental impact of diaspora-development projects it receives, by building applicant skills in:

1. Management: public fund management, communication, gender mainstreaming
2. Sectoral competences: waste management, renewable energy, environmental sustainability
3. Non-technical skills needed to deliver, design and facilitate online and face-to-face training

For more details, see the action infosheet: 

The CDL action with FORIM is just one of the ways we are strengthening the capacities of stakeholders to collaborate with the diaspora for sustainable development. You can find the info-sheet on this action and all our other CDL actions here. You might also be interested in the actions under our parallel technical support mechanism, Diaspora Professionals 4 Development.