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FROM CLIENTS TO ADVOCATES
Engaging African Immigrant Women & Girls in the Reproductive & Economic
Justice Movement
Zeinab EyegaRamatu Bangura,
P.O. Box 3112, New York, NY 10163 P: 718-665-2486 F: 718-665-2483 [email protected] www.sautiyetu.org
MISSION & VISION
Sauti Yetu is a multi-service community organization dedicated to mobilizing African immigrant women to improve the quality of
their lives, strengthen their families and develop their communities. Sauti Yetu's direct services, public education, and
advocacy promote immigrant girls' safe transitions into adulthood, curbs violence in the family, and gives poor and low income immigrant women access to life skills and
leadership opportunities.
P.O. Box 3112, New York, NY 10163 P: 718-665-2486 F: 718-665-2483 [email protected] www.sautiyetu.org
PROGRAMS & SERVICES
Family Violence Prevention
-Individual & Group Counseling, Crisis intervention
- Comprehensive case management - Interpretation/Translation
Empowering Immigrant Girls- Access to education via tutoring, counseling,
crisis intervention, - Safe spaces for girls to share, learn and
acculturate
Female Genital Cutting- Public education and Policy advocacy- Community mobilization- Training of service providers- Mobilization of Grassroots women and - Development of educational materials
P.O. Box 3112, New York, NY 10163 P: 718-665-2486 F: 718-665-2483 [email protected] www.sautiyetu.org
APPROACH/MODEL
CULTURAL LENS APPROACHA cultural lens approach allows SY to
engage in critical community conversations and dialogue within without repercussions for women/girls.
• Cultivate an understanding of the context in which services are delivered and clients come from
• Creates positive negotiating environments with partners and stakeholders in the community
MODEL• Direct Services to meet basic needs of
women and families. • Organizing empowers women and girls
with tools to become advocates and activists with the communities and cultures they inhabit.
• Advocacy-informs and educates stakeholders with power to impact negatively in the lives of women and girls. P.O. Box 3112, New York, NY 10163 P: 718-665-2486 F: 718-665-2483
[email protected] www.sautiyetu.org
MOBILIZING WOMEN
NAIRWN (otherwise known as the national network) brings together grassroots women activists from across the U.S. to develop common strategies to address issues affecting women and girls in our communities
- 28 members from 10 states representing Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria, Guinea, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, the Gambia, Mali just to mention a few.
A Core Strategy Group of 8 women
P.O. Box 3112, New York, NY 10163 P: 718-665-2486 F: 718-665-2483 [email protected] www.sautiyetu.org
Empowering Immigrant Girls
The Girls’ Empowerment & Leadership Initiative (GELI)
Is an arts-based youth program that promotes leadership development and educational access for African immigrant girls in New York City ages 13-21
P.O. Box 3112, New York, NY 10163 P: 718-665-2486 F: 718-665-2483 [email protected] www.sautiyetu.org
GELI’s Approach
Create spaces where girls can explore and practice leadership within their cultural
contextProvide opportunities to practice leadership
and affect change (i.e. social theater, group facilitation, internships, etc.)
Support youth-led initiatives (space, time, funds, constructive critique)
Offer opportunities for continuous reflection and learning
P.O. Box 3112, New York, NY 10163 P: 718-665-2486 F: 718-665-2483 [email protected] www.sautiyetu.org
The HANDS Project
• Founded by GELI Member, MassangeKamara (age 17)
• An outreach project to record the experiences and voices of African immigrant girls who have experienced FGC
• This Fall she will conduct a training for youth in Boston to teach them how to collect narratives in their communities
P.O. Box 3112, New York, NY 10163 P: 718-665-2486 F: 718-665-2483 [email protected] www.sautiyetu.org
IMPACT & SUCCESS
• Provided interpretation in at least 45 African Languages
• Serves at least 1200 women & families a year
• Women’s Learning Circles- safe & supportive space for learning, dev skills for self advocacy, and a supportive community of women.
• Every non English speaking woman has an interpreter.
P.O. Box 3112, New York, NY 10163 P: 718-665-2486 F: 718-665-2483 [email protected] www.sautiyetu.org
Contact InformationT: 718-665-2486 F. 718-665-2483
Thank You.
P.O. Box 3112, New York, NY 10163 P: 718-665-2486 F: 718-665-2483 [email protected] www.sautiyetu.org
