Like many migrants, they make substantial remittances to their families at home - which might be thought admirable because it ensures the money reaches people who need it.
Already a great-grandmother, Esseny's son in Johannesburg sent regular substantial remittances.
Micro-level field studies indicate that clandestine or in-kind transfers are substantial; however, remittance studies generally do not attempt to put a value on in-kind remittances.
Strong remittances keep the economy afloat.
Among the few countries accounting for a substantial share of remittances to Sub-Saharan Afrisa, Nigeria is the largest recipient ($20 billion), followed by Senegal ($1.4 billion), Kenya ($1.2 billion), South Africa ($1.0 billion), and Uganda ($0.7 billion, see Ratha et al., 2011).
Remittances are substantial; some estimates are put at about USD 100 million per month.
A specific study of this kind has never previously focused on health workers, other than in the case of migrant doctors from the Philippines, where it was concluded that their remittances were substantial enough to offset training and other costs [ 8].
Even without official compensation policies, voluntary remittances are a substantial portion of Africa and the Caribbean's revenue.
"It turns out that even a modest reduction in the cost of making remittance transfers adds up to a substantial amount compared to official aid".
Accessing the multibillion-dollar remittance flows to Africa certainly has substantial appeal, perhaps helping to attract some large seed investments in African bitcoin startups.
And while the dividend withholding rate has been reduced to 15%, it is now payable in the currency of profit remittance rather than in rubles, a substantial new hard-currency burden.
