The Kenyan Diaspora has increasingly become an important part of the Kenyan Economy. Through remittance, the Diaspora has become the leading foreign exchange earner for Kenya. This has lead to concerted efforts to actively involve it in the economic transformation of Kenya. The Kenyan government estimates that the Kenyan Diaspora remits close to $600 million annually. According to the Africa Recruit Survey, remittances are used for

• Adhoc contributions - most common form of remittance. Structured form of family support to meet specific needs back home.
• Aims giving - small regular amounts sent, particularly during festivals.
• Family subsistence - most likely migrants who arrived within the past three years
• Building and infrastructure projects - those settled in the Diaspora may look for business opportunities in their homeland.
• Building a house in a family homestead - as migrants from the 1960’s and 1970’s enter retirement phase, they may choose to build a home in their country of birth.
• Small-Medium-Micro business enterprise.

Experts have estimated that the remittance can be increased to over 3.4 Billion dollars a year if effective investmentment strategies are put in place with the argument being that Kenyans in the Diaspora look for investments elsewhere because investing in Kenya under present conditions is very risky. Many Diasporians will tell you that they have lost too much money investing through relatives and they do not see a business model that caters to their investment needs in Kenya. Even though Nairobi Stock Exchange has tried to make itself open to Kenyans in the Diaspora by allowing Stockbrokers allied NSR to accept credit card payments for shares bought by retail investors, this approach still leaves the regular investor who does not understand the workings of the stock market skeptical to the process.

After recognizing the need to create a safe and secure medium through which Kenyans in the Diaspora could invest in Kenya with minimal risk and maximum returns on their investment KDFC(Kenya Development Fund Corp) came into existence. KDFC is currently registered under the Florida Chamber of Commerce as a Private corporation with a ceiling of 100,000 shares and seeks to provide the much needed bridge for both the sophisticated and the regular investor. KDFC is constantly evolving and researching ways to simplify investment for Kenyans in the Diaspora as it recognizes the unique needs of the Diaspora investor. KDFC recognises the personal nature of investing and intends to engage the Diaspora as individuals in their investment initiative. It also recognises the importance of uplifting the communities in Kenya as a result KDFC will ensure that it invests only with companies with integrity and who are involved in the community.

To learn more about KDFC please log onto http://www.kenyadevelopmentfundcorp.com .