ACANA works with the Philadelphia Street Department

Posted on April 30, 2018 by admin

ACANA works with the Philadelphia Street Department

The Philadelphia Street Department Spring Clean-up campaign was a concerted success. The effort in Southwest Philadelphia and other parts of the city was coordinated citywide by the Philadelphia Street Department. The Southwest Philadelphia effort was speared headed by the African Cultural Alliance of North America Inc (ACANA) CDC, in collaborations with several community organizations which included the Liberian Mandingo Association of Pennsylvania, and the Quardu-Gboni Association in the Americas. These organizations mobilized community members to show up for the beautification effort on Saturday, April 14, 2018.

Jubilant crowd takes a picture at the end of the clean-up event

The participants came together to cleanup Southwest communities and other parts of the City. The one-day event converged several community members together to beautify the community. Several streets benefited from the efforts along with the main business corridors. The Mount Mariah cemetery and alleyways

Contributors primarily consisted of immigrants, mainly Africans and other migrant residents of Southwest Philadelphia Many of those participating in the effort felt the need to lend a helping hand in order to facelift the community.

Many expressed that the beautifications of Southwest Philadelphia should not be a one day event and not the sole responsibility of the Philadelphia Street Department, but should include residents business owners and other properties owners and business.

The group included males, females, young people, and the elderly people all jubilant and eager during the cleaning process at the end the efforts commercial corridors and alleyways in Southwest appeared inviting to Tourists, shoppers and other visitors.

Southwest Philadelphia is emerging as the “African Town”, a concept that is gaining attraction. Residents hopeful that as a gateway to the City of Philadelphia, Southwest will take its rightful place as a respected community and inviting to visitors and tourists coming through Philadelphia International Airport and Interstate I-195. Therefore, keeping the streets and the environment clean will create a decent image for all Philadelphians.

Revitalizing Southwest Philadelphia’s Commercial Corridor

Posted on October 24, 2017 by admin

The Flags Project:

With consensuses from stakeholders, business owners, and the council people of Southwest Philadelphia, the authorities at the Commerce Department has granted the approval to hoisting the international emblems intended to honorably beautify Woodland Avenue Commercial Corridor and to symbolize nationalities living or conducting businesses on the corridor, as part of Commercial Corridor Revitalization Project of Southwest Philadelphia. The African Cultural Alliance of North America Inc, (ACANA) is the implementing partners.

On September 15, 2017, Director Curtis Gregory of the Commerce Department, accompanied by high power Commerce Department officials including Directors Karen Fegely, Mr. Rojer Kern and others deputized for Director Harold Epps to tour ACANA CDC Commercial Corridor managing area in order to acquaint themselves with progress and challenges. Mr. Voffee Jabateh represented the ACANA CDC; Mr. Stephen Kiznicki represented the Southwest Phila CDC during the visit. Musa Trawally and Moivabah Fofana represented the Commercial Corridor, at which time a meeting was formally held at the ECOWAS RESTAURANT at 6421 Woodland Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The meeting at the ECOWAS Restaurant was held under peaceful atmosphere where frank exchanges of views with representatives of businesses present went smoothly. Some representatives of businesses who attended the occasion included Makula Dukuly, Ismael Donzo, Mohammed Kaba, Raifat Ahmad, Hawa Kromah, Mamie K. Sardnee, Musa Barry, Mariam Bamba, Memunah Kamara, Fanta Jarbe, Kristopher Phipps, Fabric Queen, Fatumah Sheriff, Nvanbuley Quisia, Madegbeh Kromah, Lasana S. Kromah, Souraghata Semega of WORC and Page Hug of Finata financial groups and many others that attended the meeting later. During the meeting, the Corridor Administrator, Musa Trawally, presented ACANA’s achievements for the year and the future goals through a Power Point Presentation to the audience. A meeting which started at 9:00AM ended after 12:30 P.M. and a tour of some business houses and kindergarten and nursery schools, whose administrators thanked the Director and his team for the visits, and also presented their individual problems facing businesses, which the Director promised would be presented to the Director proper for his reactions.

Director: Curtis Gregory deputized for Director Epps, and he addressed the audience:

Musa Trawally presented ACANA’s corridors achievements and future goals to the audience.

Director: Karen Fegely explained commercial corridors objectives:

ACANA CEO, Voffee Jabateh responding to questions from business owners:

Business owners network with the director his team

Our partnership approach

ACANA strongly believe that small business growth and survival depends on access to knowledge and resources: This is what informs our partnership approach resulting to $167,000 in grants and loans, 100% SIP funding for Chester Avenue businesses. ACANA in collaboration with Women Opportunity Resource Center (WORC) Organized a Micro-Business Day Event, where more than 200 business owners participated

ACANA’s Corridor management initiative going forward!

Construct a Diversity Arch on Woodland Avenue to symbolize diversity and create attraction in Southwest Philadelphia.

Modernizing Bus Stops with ability to charge portable electronic device on the Commercial Corridors

NEW PROJECT ALERT!

Posted on February 18, 2017January 10, 2020 by admin

NEW PROJECT LAUNCHED AT ACANA

Female Genital Cutting/ Mutilation (FGC/M), Project BAOBAB

Project “BAOBAB” is a program of the African Cultural Alliance Inc. (ACANA). This program is federally funded through the Office of Women’s Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is a community health care and prevention initiative with special focus on African immigrant and refugee women’s health. The primary focus is Female Genital Cutting/ Mutilation, (FGC/M).

Partners include the African Diaspora Health Initiative (ADHI) who will conduct community based outreach, culturally and linguistically appropriate peer led health education services to at least 200 immigrant women resettled from sub-Saharan Africa residing in Philadelphia and surrounding counties. The program will also provide training and education for health care providers. Other health partners include the Philadelphia Department of Public Health which will serve as the primary focus of the health care provider training component of the project.

Through this program, women will have the opportunities to know about the adverse effects (FGC/M) have not only on their reproductive and sexual life but in their overall enhanced functioning as well. To this end, women will have more information to make a decision, should the need arise, on whether to subject their daughters to such a procedure and to be part of a community-wide change that advocate for abandoning the practice. Well informed health care practitioners will have the knowledge to provide quality health care for the female members who have experienced FGC/M. ACANA will additionally advocate for the protection of these women who have experienced this inhume practice.

Female Genital Cutting (FGC) which is sometimes called mutilation or circumcision, includes all procedures involving partial or total removal of the female external genitalia or other injury, to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. This practice is a fundamental human rights issue with adverse health and social implications.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC), Philadelphia ranks in the top 10 among other major U. S. cities with about 16,500 females mostly from Sub Saharan Africa potentially at risk for FGC/M. Available estimates In the United States, suggest that more than 513,000 girls and women have experienced FGC or are at risk of FGC. The World health Organization (WHO) states that more than 200 million girls and women alive today have been cut in 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia where FGC is concentrated.

This project is part of a three year grant from the Office of Women’s Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded to eight organizations across the country, including ACANA and Nationalities Service Center both of whom are located in the Philadelphia region.

Survey participants will be seen at ACANA offices on Mondays to Thursdays 10:00 am -6:00 PM

Participants will also be identified in the communities and provided with information, referrals and resources.

ACANA nurse will hold a clinic day once a week at ACANA offices on Mondays and make referrals to African Diaspora Health Initiative (ADHI).

Health education workshops highlighting FGC will be held once a month at ACANA offices and in the community.

Contact: Program Manager Nettie Johnson: Tel: 215-729-8225 ext. 112, Email: nettiejohnson@acanaus.org

ACANA: 5530 Chester Avenue, 2^nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19143

Call Us Today: 215-729-8225

Category: New Projects