Exploratory Community Outreach Outcomes for African-born Immigrants in California 2016

Introduction:

Activities involved planning community health activities geared at improving understanding good nutrition practices; health seeking practices for quality healthy outcomes; conducted 208 Focus Group meetings; conducted 120 meetings with Key Informant; Local/Loci exploration of Health-related resources; generating reports.

Venues: 

Fremont, Richmond, Antioch, Moraga, San Leandro, Pittsburg, Dublin, Lafayette, Bakersfield, Berkeley, San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Oakland, San Jose, Pasadena, San Bernardino, Fremont, Ventura, Glendale, Stockton, Silver Spoons-24th/Mission San Francisco; Balboa Restaurant San Francisco; Ashkenaz in Berkeley; San Leandro, Castro Valley, Richmond; Van Nuys, Vacaville, Santa Rosa, Antioch, San Rafael; Berkeley, Oakland; San Jose; Nigerian/Ghanaian/Sierra Leonean/Gambian Communities; Lutheran Church in Oakland;universal Unitarian Church SF; Islamic Mosques in Oakland and Berkeley. 

Numbers reached:

Adults: 8,000

Children (9-21 years): 1,250

Households visited: 350

Challenges:

Small community organizing among African-born immigrants in USA has its challenges;

i). Africa-born immigrants live in community settings where pioneer peers settled first. Through peer-to-peer networks can one generate consensus and motivation for many to participate in meetings or community activities such health seeking activities. Examples of peer-to-peer networks range from: ethnicity-based groups; gender-based groups; trauma support based-groups; faith-based groups; place of origin-based groups; year of arrival-based groups; job specification-based groups; and abilities-based groups (sports, recreation, music, dance and drama). These are all social matrices in which African-born immigrants identify and socialize. It requires dedicated time to engage, create rapport and develop a working relation with African-born immigrants. It requires a funded organization to lead this kind of work.

ii). Africa-born immigrants live in different cities. Whereas it is possible to meet with them through peer-to-peer networks, one has to have reliable transportation as well as means of abode such as a hotel which can also act as a meeting venue.

iii). A common admission among many African-born immigrants is: perception that health seeking as a practice is alien to them. There are two entwined beliefs; the tendency of invincibility and inability to link behaviors to vulnerability and risks.

iv). Subsistence is an important aspect to livelihood. Work is a major source of income or resources. However, some Africa-born immigrants have disabilities and traumatic pasts. Many have not sought professional support. This has led to some instabilities, substance-abuse and homelessness. 

v). Africa-born immigrants have not positioned themselves as full beneficiaries of services in USA. The 8 D’s is a simple range of themes under which organization can be analyzed and they are: Dance themes, drama themes, dress, dialogue themes, dietary themes, disease coping themes, documentation/Civic Duty themes, development themes.

Solutions:

i). Africa-born immigrants live in community settings where pioneer peers settled first.It requires dedicated time to engage, create rapport and develop a working relation with African-born immigrants. It requires a funded organization to lead this kind of work.

ii). Africa-born immigrants live in different cities. Reliable transportation as well as means of abode such as a hotel which can also act as a meeting venue.

iii).  The tendency of invincibility and inability to link behaviors to vulnerability and risks requires planned community interventions by use of peers; testimony giving; providing resources in form of culturally and linguistically appropriate education materials.

iv). Seeking mental and health professional support and interventions helps improve one’s adjustment skills in society.

v). Africa-born immigrants need to position themselves as full beneficiaries of services in USA. The 8 D’s is a simple range of themes under which organization can be analyzed and they are: Dance themes, drama themes, dress, dialogue themes, dietary themes, disease coping themes, documentation/Civic Duty themes, development themes. These can be used to access logistical support from different service provision points.

Conclusion:

Support groups among African-born immigrants is an opportunity to engage in practices that improve on their health seeking practices and general quality of health.

Support funds received from January-August 2016:

1. Tom Rogers Muyunga-Mukasa   $1,800.00

2. Moses Kiyemba                          $  100.00

3. Borbor Goma                              $    50.00

4. Anna L.                                       $     20.00

Total                                                $ 1,970.00

Report

Supporting African-born immigrants to organize into small viable health communities is one way of ensuring they engage in health seeking practices. We at BayHeal, continue using volunteers to do outreach services and hopefully, we shall soon have facilitation to make this a formal activity.

We thank all of you for the support. We also thank the following for providing funds that helped to make this possible since January 2016.

Support funds received from January 2016:

1. Tom Rogers Muyunga-Mukasa           $1,800.00

2. Borbor Goma                                       $     50.00

3. Anna L.                                                $     20.00

Total                                                         $1,870.00


Activities:

1. February 2014

Compiling and Mapping a list of venues and events where Africans in the Bay Area live and socialize.

familiarizing excursion around the Bay Area first and last Sunday of the month.

Making a list of Universities, Education Institutes, Colleges and Schools where Africans go to.

The idea of Bay Area Healthy Living and Communication Support as a distinct health information, education, communication, equity and disparity stop gapping organization. Not to replace or replicate what "other civil rights" organizations are doing. This is an "essential" commodity/ consumer services organization.

Designed an inception note.

Designed a yearly strategic volunteer plan to meet and greet Americans and Africans.

2. March 2014

Field excursion to generate health needs for Africans following the Ebola Epidemic in Africa.

Borrowed $ 1,900 from Mr. Selwyn Jones to help me meet the expenses of meeting and talking to Africans in the Bay Area.

Joined the UCSF/ACTG/CAB as a volunteer.

3. April 2014

Purchase a Toshiba laptop to use during research and note taking in the field.

Purchase a mobile Phone to provide communication link with various respondents.

Continuing with the research work.

4. May 2014-September 2014

Travel to meet Africans in the Bay Area ( Richmond, Dublin-Pleasanton, Millbrae, San Jose..).

Compare experiences with San Rafael, Oakland, Daly City and San Francisco.

Ebola Epidemic continues to affect the way Africans socialize and work.

Volunteer with African Advocacy Network as a health Strategist.

Press conference and awareness raising on impact of Discrimination, Ebola and need to engage 

Africans and Americans in conversation/dialogue to address misconceptions.

A draft of the Bay Area Healthy Living Support and Communication Platform ready.

Literature review on immigration health in USA and California.

Drafted and disseminated Key Informant Guide questions among Africans living in Bay Area.

Work on a social calendar that lists places and social events in which Africans are seen in large numbers continues.

A template for Universal Social and Cultural Events for Africans in the Bay Area emerges. (USEs/UCEs). This can be used as a mobilization tool.

5. October 2014-June 2015

Designing a front loader organization, easily managed that will not be bogged down by rhetoric and no action once we start implementing.

Identifying African originated  viable Community based Social Organizations or Venues ( E.g. Angola/Mozambique singing group that meets at Silver Spoons-24th/Mission; Balboa Restaurant; Ashkenaz in Berkeley; Kenyan Community Harambee in San Leandro, Castro Valley, Richmond; Ugandan Community in Antioch, San Rafael; Berkeley, Oakland;  Zimbabwean Community in San Jose; Nigerian/Ghanaian/Sierra Leonean/Gambian Communities; Tanzanian Communities meeting at the Lutheran Church in Oakland; the Islamic Mosques as meeting places for various Africans & Sports/Recreation/Music/Dance/Drama as a galvanizing entity for Africans especially Eritreans, Somali and Ethiopians; using Radio and Facebook by Ugandans, Kenyans, Nigerians, Sudanese and South Sudanese).

Identifying and scouting for Board of Directors to report to and help galvanize leadership to results as well as value for money outputs.

Interacted with, asked the support, help, or guidance of: Professor Annie Luetkemeyer, Dr. Paul Volberding, Dr. Hiroyu Hatano, Paul Klees, Jack Beck, Austin Padilla, Goma Bobo, Samuel Mwangi, Dr. Kiapi Sandra, Dan Katende, Githongo Watua, Derrick Mapp, Jay, Mike Ochieng, Bhamira Augustine, Vasco Da-Gama, Lopez M. and other eminent persons.

Registered as not-for-profit (CORP ID: 3790333).

Plan to have bank account.

Share June 2015-May 2016 Strategic Plan( office Space, Key/Resource Tool, Training African Leaders & engaging service providers.

Fundraise

Resource mobilization

Received our Tax ID/EIN: 47-4266549.

6. July 2015-June 2016

Continued lobbying, community events, navigation work and Identifying African originated  viable Community based Social Organizations or Venues ( E.g. Angola/Mozambique singing group that meets at Silver Spoons-24th/Mission; Balboa Restaurant; Ashkenaz in Berkeley; Kenyan Community Harambee in San Leandro, Castro Valley, Richmond; Ugandan Community in Antioch, San Rafael; Berkeley, Oakland;  Zimbabwean Community in San Jose; Nigerian/Ghanaian/Sierra Leonean/Gambian Communities; Tanzanian Communities meeting at the Lutheran Church in Oakland; the Islamic Mosques as meeting places for various Africans & Sports/Recreation/Music/Dance/Drama as a galvanizing entity for Africans especially Eritreans, Somali and Ethiopians; using Radio and Facebook by Ugandans, Kenyans, Nigerians, Sudanese and South Sudanese). Identifying and scouting for Board of Directors to report to and help galvanize leadership to results as well as value for money outputs.

Continued interacting with: Katie Hale, Toby Childs, Austin Padilla, African Empowered Communitie-USA, Professor Annie Luetkemeyer, Dr. Paul Volberding, Dr. Hiroyu Hatano, Paul Klees, Jack Beck, Austin Padilla, Goma Bobo, Samuel Mwangi, Dr. Kiapi Sandra, Dr. JB Ssentongo, Mr. Luwalagga Denis, Dan Katende, Githongo Watua, Derrick Mapp, Jay, Mike Ochieng, Bhamira Augustine, Vasco Da-Gama, Lopez M. and other eminent persons.

Engaged in further  exploratory and movement building activities in: Fremont, Richmond, Antioch, Moraga, San Leandro, Pittsburg, Dublin, Lafayette, Bakersfield, Berkeley, San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Oakland, San Jose, Pasadena, San Bernardino, Fremont, Ventura, Glendale and Stockton.  Activities involved cursory: Focus Group/Key Informant meetings; Ground zero exploration of Health-related resources; generating a  inception report to be used for generating funding proposals.

Completed all eligibility criteria for Federal government funding. Opened up a US bank organizational bank account. 

Generating grant seeking proposals.

We have engaged in 300 community events since 2013. The community events were: environmental health-related; endocrine-disease related campaigns; social justice related campaigns; civic duty related campaigns; community clean up campaigns; safe needle distribution; senior citizen care campaigns; substance use awareness campaigns; HIV testing; Physical activity campaigns; community food distribution and many others. 

Thank you so much!