Over 66pc of diaspora Kenyans to send home huge cash

Over 66pc of diaspora Kenyans to send home huge cash.

About seven out of every 10 Kenyans living and working abroad will spoil their mothers back home this Sunday by sending them money to mark the world Mother’s Day.

A new survey that sampled views from Kenyans living in different countries estimates that three million Kenyans in the diaspora would treat their mothers, mostly by sending them money and gifts as well as making calls.

WorldRemit, which undertook the survey, said 66 per cent of the Kenyans in the diaspora who responded to its survey said they send more money to their mothers in Kenya.

“Of those respondents who send their mom money for Mother’s Day, 84 per cent also give them a call and 50 per cent also send them a gift,” said Sharon Kinyanjui, Head of East and Central Africa at WorldRemit.

“When asked when they last met their mother, 44 per cent of those who responded said they haven’t seen them for at least two years.”

“Mother’s Day is an important time for three million Kenyans living abroad to show their mums that they’re thinking of them,” she said. WorldRemit’s new customers will over the weekend make their first transaction for free as the firm celebrates the day. Remittances from the diaspora have grown to be the largest foreign exchange earner for Kenya.

CBK data

In the 12 months between March 2018 and this year, remittances rose 26 per cent, according to Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) data, from Sh210 billion to Sh270 billion.

In March alone, Kenyans sent home Sh22.1 billion compared to Sh19.9 billion in March 2018 - an 11.4 per cent jump.

“North America remained the main source region for the remittances, accounting for 53 per cent of the total remittances in March,” CBK said in its statistical bulletin.