WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS DERIVED FROM MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF NATIONS?

BENEFITS DERIVED FROM THE COMMONWEALTH BY MEMBER COUNTRIES

• Employment opportunity: Many qualified citizens of member countries have found employment with theCommonwealth of Nations after scaling through the required qualification process.  This has put food on their tables and some of the monies earned have been repatriated to their countries of origin. 
• Promotes education: Some member states have consistently offered scholarships to citizens of other members states to pursue courses in higher learning. Some of these countries include Canada, Britain, Australia and now India. Citizens of member countries have benefited greatly from these gestures. This has helped citizens of theCommonwealth to horn their skills in various field of learning.
• Promotion of Democracy: The Commonwealth of Nations has been consistent in sending election observer teams to member states to monitor their elections. This, among other things, is to ensure free and fair elections thereby promoting democracy in member countries. The Commonwealth also gives financial support to the Electoral Commission of member countries to conduct credible elections.
• Military Assistance: The wealthy member states of the Commonwealth sometimes provide military hardware to the less developed member states to boost the equipment level of the armies of those countries. They also help in the training and re-training of officers and men from other member states. Officers of member states have attended some of the best military training institutions in Britain and Canada. 
• Assistance to war-torn member countries: Member state of the Commonwealth of Nations also benefit from assistance given in reconstruction after war has ravaged the state. After the civil war in Sierra Leone, most of their infrastructures were destroyed. The Commonwealth has been assisting Sierra Leone to rebuild her damaged infrastructure.
• Benefits from sports: The Commonwealth, for example, has instituted a sporting event called the Commonwealth Games where athletes and performers in other sporting disciplines have proven their worth in field and track events. Many sportsmen and women of member countries have benefited by using the commonwealth Games as a spring-board to the world stage of games and athletics. This has helped to improve upon the health status of participants.