African Communities Coalition in Philadelphia (Africom Philly)
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Above, daughter of Liberia Dr Vera Tolbert presides over the September 2012 meeting of AfriCom Philly. Seated next to her is daughter of Ghana, AfriCom Philly secretary Ms Antoinette Ghartey RN. Also in the room were son of Mali Alou Traore, son of Haiti Giordani Jean-Baptiste, son of Nigeria Dr Philip Udo-Inyang, daughter of Cameroon Ms Raphia Noumbissi, son of Cote D'Ivoire Dr Eric Edi, adopted daughter of Mali Ms Megan L Doherty.
Below, Dr Susanna spoke with Dr Vera Tolbert, daughter of Liberia. Her father was from Togo, and was living in Germany when Liberia erupted into civil war in 1979.
Listen to why she volunteers hours every day to Africom Philly, the Philadelphia Coaltion of African Communities, whose primary function is helping African and Caribbean immigrants.ate for African and Caribbean immigrants every day in Philadelphia.
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The
Coalition of African Communities - Philadelphia (AFRICOM) is an
umbrella non-profit, 501(c)3 tax-exempt, organization that brings
together various African, American and Caribbean community organizations
and individuals, who subscribe to the mission and ideals of AFRICOM.
The mission of AFRICOM is to improve the welfare of its community
members by:
· Facilitating family access to health and social services, with special focus on women, children and the youth
· Promoting economic development
·
Facilitating resolution of inter and intra-group conflicts
· Advocating on issues of concern to African communities
· Educating the media and broader public on African cultures and experiences
This is the statement under the signature of the president of Africom, Dr Vera Tolbert, who is a daughter of Liberia and Ghana and a research scientist trained in Biochemistry.
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Africom Philly was started in 2000, when African immigrant communities came together to form an umbrella organization.
The Philadelphia Mayor's Commission on African and Caribbean Immigrant
Affairs came out of Africom Philly, so did the many other immigrant
organizations. The original movers and shakers in Africom were mostly
Nigerian.
ACANA is an African immigrant organization that is a member of Africom Philly. So are Liberian, Ivorian, Malian, Cameroonian organizations.
We meet at 1226 N 52nd St, North Philadelphia.
Africom started a yearly health fair in 2001. The 12th Annual Health Fair was May 20 2012, click here, and has spawned several other health fairs plus a community health organization for immigrants run by Senegalese immigrant.
Africom Philly's interest in health for African communities is ongoing, contact Dr Vera Tolbert on bareitu@yahoo.com and board members on
info@Africom-Philly.org if you can offer health resources or need health care.
Africom also started a yearly summer event called Echoes of Africa, which has been taken over by the Mayor's Commission and now once a year, members of African communities are invited to a breakfast and day at the Philadelphia Zoo.
The videos are all made by and about members of African communities in Philadelphia.
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Email:
info@Africom-Philly.org
We have an office at 1226 N 52nd Street Philadelphia, PA 19104
You are welcome to visit, please make an appointment with a board member or just show up the first Saturday of every month at 4pm. We are available at all times to help African and Caribbean immigrants: we can get you free or low cost medical care, help you with visas: we are a phone call away from you at all times.
Telephone numbers:
Chairman of the board, son of Cote D'Ivoire,
Dr Eric Edi 1-215-869-3377
President, daughter of Liberia and Ghana,
Dr Vera Tolbert 1-215-680-0722
Board members:
Son of Mali, Alou Traore 1-215-921-9930
Daughter of Cameroon, Raphia Noumbissi 1-267-242-8233
Son of Nigeria, Dr Philip Udo-Inyang 1-484-557-7445
Son of Haiti, Giordani Jean-Baptiste 1-215-473-0601
Adopted daughter of Africa, Dr Susanna J Dodgson 1-609-792-1571
Son of Nigeria Samuel U Osirim 1-215-680-8471
Adopted daughter of Mali, Megan L Doherty (267) 231-3687
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Africom Philly seeks and develops partnerships
with non-profit, public, private, educational and
institutions interested in Africa and African America in the Greater Philadelphia area.
Africom Philly members work towards delivering
programs and services for integration of African refugees and immigrants from Africa and the Caribbean refugees into the American culture, society and educational
systems.
Our main objective is to facilitate integration of youth,
children and families among African communities into Philadelphia and its suburbs.
Africom Philly assists African refugee- and
immigrant-based communities and organizations; build organizational
capability to assume proactive role and effectively support the legal
resettlement and adjustment process of African refugees and other
immigrants in Pennsylvania and the United States in general. Refugee
resettlement will be facilitated through grants from various agencies,
NGO's and foundations.
Africom Philly
develops and implements programs and services in the areas of employment
and job training; education and enrichment for women, children, youth,
and adults; and housing assistance.
In addition, the organization ensures that African refugees and immigrants are assisted to attain
self-sufficiency shortly upon their arrival in Pennsylvania; provide
linguistic- and culture-appropriate support services and employment to
them; and ensure coordination of public medical, cash and other support
services and effectively promote and encourage their early
self-sustenance.
Mission Statement
Africom Philly's mission is to empower the African refugee and immigrant communities by: - Facilitating family access to health and social services, with special focus on women, children and the youth,
- Promoting economic development,
- Facilitating resolution of inter- and intra-group conflicts,
- Advocating on issues of concern to African communities, and
- Educating the media and broader public on African cultures and experiences.
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