How Africans Are Helping Refugees Settle In America

Habiba showing some of her teaching aides

By Paul Shalala in Syracuse, New York

Every year, the city of Syracuse in northern New York state receives dozens of African immigrants who run away from their countries for various reasons.

Some of these immigrants are refugees who run away from wars while some leave their countries for economic reasons.

Settling in the United States is a huge challenge especially for immigrants who do not speak English and those who have no relatives.

This challenge is even made worse by having no education qualification to help sustain your life.

But one immigrant had an idea which is now helping thousands of African immigrants to integrate in Syracuse.

Haji Adan, a Somali immigrant who came to the United States in 2006, came up with an idea to help fellow African immigrants settle well in wider society.

With the help of a few friends, they formed the Somali Bantu Community Association which has over the past decade helped African refugees find jobs and settle in society.

“When I came to the US, it was difficult to live here. Life was not easy because there was no one to help us,” said Mr Adan who is the association’s Executive Director.

Mr Adan says through volunteer work and the help of various donors, his association is now among the largest in terms of helping refugees settle in the city.

“We are doing all this without pay. We are actually paying back to the community,” said Mr Adan as he pointed at the newly refurbished classroom where English lessons are conducted for African immigrants.

He adds that though the association was formed to cater for African immigrants, the mandate has now changed and the association is rebranding itself to work with immigrants from around the world.

Haji Adan holding a certificate he earned for hard work

Free English lessons are offered to immigrants and children have the opportunity to also learn from Grades three to seven.

Through its after school program, the association also conducts graduations for those who are successful.

30 year Habiba Boru is one of the volunteer teachers at the Somali Bantu Community Association.

A resident of Syracuse for the past 16 years, Habiba says she grew up in a refugee camp in Kenya.

As this blogger interacted with her, she fluently spoke Somali and Swahili.

“Am a mother of four and I came here 16 years ago. Am now an American citizen but one day I wish to go back to Kenya because that’s where I grew up from,” she said.

Apart from teaching English lessons, she also connects some of the immigrants to companies were they can find jobs.

“We have a job readiness program here and we help immigrants find jobs. Sometimes it is easy to find them jobs but sometimes it is difficult if they do not speak English. But most employers tell us that African immigrants are hard working.”

One of the companies which the association partners with in finding employment for immigrants is Wal-Mart, the American large scale retailer.

The company has so far employed a number of immigrants who have been able to support their families financially.

However, not every immigrant finds it easy to get employed.

Habiba says there has been resentment with immigrants who wear Islamic attire at work.

Some of the association's graduands

She says some employers do not feel comfortable but Wal-Mart allows workers to wear its uniforms above Islamic attire.

As part of its rebranding exercise, the association is also helping immigrants acquire visas and drivers’ licences.

According to photos and postings on its Facebook page, the association conducts social events such as football tournaments and field trips to allow African immigrants interact and socialise.

Through various applications, the Somali Bantu Community Association has been able to sustain itself through grants from various institutions.

Zambia Calls For Affordable Food Prices

By Paul Shalala in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The Zambian government says there is need for African states to find better strategies that will make food prices affordable to all Africans on the continent.

Leader of the Zambian delegation to the three day meeting of Senior officials meeting on Agriculture and Fisheries in Ethiopia, Derrick Sikombe says the strategies must also ensure that there is price stability and stability of income for farmers.

Mr Sikombe, who is also Chief Agricultural Economist in the Ministry of Agriculture in Zambia, says there is also need to provide services such as electricity, water and sanitation in rural areas in order for agricultural production to be increased.

He said this when he addressed the plenary session of the senior officials meeting at the African Union Headquarters this morning.

Mr Sikombe added that knowledge and skills in food processing and preservation must be made readily available in Africa so that people engaged in agriculture can help increase productivity.

Meanwhile, Uganda has called on African countries to enact laws that will regulate and promote nutrition in all AU-member states.

According to the submission by the Ugandan delegation to the meeting, enforcing laws such as guiding each district to produce a minimum amount of a certain crop can help boost nutrition levels in each country.

And the Zimbabwean delegation has proposed the prioritization of strategic food reserves as a way of ensuring food security.

According to Zimbabwe, food reserves maintain a balance in times of need and therefore governments must spend more money in maintaining them. 

But Sierra Leone has complained that most of its youths who are based in urban areas are shunning the villages due to lack of basic services.

The Sierra Leonean delegation says since the country emerged from war over a decade ago, basic services are non-existent in rural areas and youths can not take part in agriculture because they do not like rural areas.

The three day senior officials meeting has attracted agricultural officials from all African countries who are preparing resolutions that will be adopted by Agricultural ministers during the Joint Ministerial Conference on Agriculture which will take place on Thursday and Friday this week in Ethiopia.

Agriculture Ministers from across Africa are later this week expected to converge at the African Union headquarters to discuss agricultural issues as part of the Year of Agriculture and Food Security.

Zambia will be represented by Agriculture Deputy Minister Greyford Monde who is expected in Ethiopia tomorrow.

New World Bank report rates Zambia among most improved on policy environment

By Paul Shalala in Kampala, Uganda

Zambia is among 13 Sub-Saharan countries which have been commended by the World Bank for showing a stable and improved policy environment for development.

According to the 2012 CPIA Index  which is an annual assessment of how countries are performing with their development policies to reduce poverty and spur opportunity, Zambia scored well in the last 12 months.

World Bank Chief Economist for Africa, Shanta Devarajan has launched the report today in the French capital Paris.

This latest World Bank review of policies and institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) shows an improved policy environment for growth and poverty reduction in 13 of the continent’s poorest countries.

The 13 countries which have showed improvements comprise: Comoros, Congo Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Togo, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

More broadly, most African countries show a stable or improved policy environment for development. This positive trend is especially important given the more severe economic climate being weathered by other countries, most notably in the developed world.