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By Janis Russell
August 7, 2014 (San Diego)- At the July 31 Somali Bantu Association of America board meeting, president and CEO, Said Abiyow, told ECM he is specifically looking for more volunteers to help promote events and they also hope to promote themselves.
The mission of Somali Bantu Association is to advocate on behalf of the Somali Bantu and other similarly disadvantaged refugees to access healthcare, professional and education resources so that families can make a successful cultural, economic and social transition to life in the States; and provide services to assist families in becoming economically stable and civically-engaged members of their new community in San Diego.
Their purposes are to empower and enhance the Somali Bantu Youth of San Diego, help the Somali Bantu youth attain secondary, post-secondary, technical, vocational and other types of education, promote social and emotional self-reliance, and provide and facilitate training for the Somali Bantu youths to ensure development of various life skills, gain employment, explore community opportunities and develop strength.
They have a youth program that has a soccer team.
They also have a Help or Get Help program, which provides an academic, social, cultural and violence-prevention support. The program will allow college, high school, middle school, and adult-education students to come together to help or get help with their school work, along with assistance with social cultural needs. Local adult volunteers are available to assist.
Homework tutoring is available as well as employment services to provide assistance with job location and other job-related services such as building resumes, help on job applications and referrals, find employment and provide job skills training, and provide free transportation for needy families.
Family guidance services are available for those new immigrants arriving in America. One-on-one and family counseling is available. Special focus is placed on understanding local laws, crime prevention and avoidance of drugs, street violence, smoking, and mediation and conflict resolution.
There are four educational/informational sessions and awareness for the community youth and elders related to topics of interest such as: stay in our culture, crime prevention, health and nutrition, drug prevention, street violence, conflict resolution, educational opportunities or career developments, and job advice.
So far, they have six volunteers. Abiyow said, “We need more volunteers.. to do better work for the community.” Areas where volunteers can help include: being a reader, mentor, or tutor, immigration counseling services, teach or tutor new Americans to prepare to take the citizenship test, employment services, general office, monetary donations, and more.
He also said most organizations don’t even know that their association exists in San Diego.
Abiyow also said, “We don’t have enough board members… We need a lot of support.” He noted that there have been issues paying the volunteers who have been with the association two or more years. They don’t have enough funding.
Their grantwriter, Frank Wagner, has been helping Abiyow. Wagner goes out into the community and talks with the public about the association.
Wagner mentioned Somali Bantu has gotten new computers recently. “We have a new community computer center [with] 12 work stations.” It’s a place for students to do research or people can work on their citizenship. “They have people here to help them (that speak their language); they can get connected,” Wagner added.
In the future, Somali Bantu plans to do little events with more fundraising. The public can help just by making donations online.
Their 2nd annual New Land, New Hope celebration is coming up on September 20 from 2-5pm. Location is at the UDWA (United Domestic Workers of America), 4855 Seminole Drive, San Diego 92115. This is a cultural celebration featuring music, dancing, and the Somali Bantu’s delicious cuisine. Tickets are $35 with all proceeds to benefit the Somali Bantu Association’s programs impacting refugees in the community.
Somali Bantu has had a lot of accomplishments from 2012-2013. Some of them are: 900-1,000 served monthly, 18 students per cycle in the job readiness class in a six month program, four interpreters, 15 students in the daily English as Second Language (ESL) class, 146 new citizens, and 35 students enrolled at the after-school program. At the national heroes banquet, there were 200 people. There were 250 people at the 2012 graduation from K-12th grade.
ESL with job readiness is available Monday through Friday 9am-4pm. The after school program starts August 5 from 6-8pm. Both are held at the Somali Bantu office.
To see another article about Somali Bantu this year, view the link: http://www.utsandiego.com/photos/2014/apr/14/1296235/.
For more information on Somali Bantu Association of America, visit: http://sbaoa.org/, where you can also sign up for their monthly email newsletters and make online donations. You can also call Abiyow at (619) 546-9346 ext.4 or email info@sbaoa.org.
You can also contact them if you’re interested in volunteering with them with marketing and social media, special event coordination, and office assistance. Requirements are a passion for their mission, and flexibility and willingness to work independently. Hours are flexible, anytime between 10:00am and 3:00pm. If you choose to email them, include background information on your interest, skills and availability. View the picture on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SomaliBantuAssociationofAmerica/photos/a.605795426108210.1073741825.139121072775650/781770241844060/?type=1&theater. It’s titled ‘Looking for Volunteers and Interns.’
See their Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/SomaliBantuAssociationofAmerica.
Visit Abiyow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SBAOA.
Connect with Abiyow on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?trk=prof-connections-name&authToken=zU_V&authType=name&id=226070606.
For more information on their cultural celebration event on September 20, call (619) 206-4000 or visit their website. Also, see the attached flyer and their accomplishments.
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