To a great extent, all Somali community-based organizations confront similar challenges in terms of chronic underfunding, limited or insufficient human resources, overwhelming demand for services and weak or non-existent organizational structures. SFCN overcomes these concerns by providing unique and customized technical assistance trainings and regional workshops designed to maximize efficiency and bolster organizational productivity. Included in the customized consultations are: extensive environmental scans for funding and other types of support; redesigning of organizational material (brochures,  letter heads, flyers); establishing an efficient documentation systems for maintaining records and in-takes; providing board trainings; assisting with strategic planning sessions, etc.

Project Himilo

Project Himilo seeks to foster and enhance the social well-being and economic growth of Somali refugees resettled in the United States by supporting the capacity and development of local Somali community-based organizations (CBOs) throughout the country.  Himilo (meaning ‘to aspire’ in Somali) has provided invaluable tools to Somali community leaders and activists in fulfilling their aspirations to build strong, vibrant and self-sufficient communities in their new environment. The program has empowered more than 180 Somali CBO directors, staff and volunteers with information and resources on best practices to organizational development, advocacy and nonprofit management. In previous grant cycles, Project Himilo has provided seed grants of approximately $20,000 per organization in an effort to offset funding challenges faced by Somali CBOs. SFCN grants have enabled participating organizations to purchase computers and other office equipment, staff training, establishing literacy and numeracy courses and job preparation programs.

Currently in its third phase, Project Himilo is working with the following 4 organizations in its commitment to strengthen Somali CBOs and increase the integration process of refugee communities:

• Somali Foundation – Kansas City, MO

• Somali Bantu Association of San Antonio – San Antonio, TX

• East African Community Services – Seattle, WA

• Somali Community Outreach & Education Center – Rochester, NY

In Fiscal Year 2008, Somali CBO Project Himilo III-Year Two participants were:

• Somali Association of Arizona – Phoenix, AZ

• Somali Community Center of Colorado – Denver, CO

• Horn of Africa Community Center – Columbus, OH

• Somali Community Services Coalition – Seattle, WA

In Fiscal Year 2007, Somali CBO Project Himilo III-Year One participants were:

• Somali Women’s Association – Portland, Oregon

• African Refugee Educational and Cultural Services – Columbus, OH

• Somali Bantu Community Organization of Tucson – Tucson, AZ

• Somali Benadiri Community of Minnesota – Minneapolis, MN.

SFCN delivers three unique and customized technical assistance trainings for each organization designed to overcome their organizational challenges and increase their efficiency. Included in the customized consultations are: extensive environmental scans for funding and other types of support; redesigning of organizational material (brochures,  letter heads, flyers); establishing an efficient documentation systems for maintaining records and in-takes; providing board trainings; assisting with strategic planning sessions, etc.

[ top ]

Strategic Positioning Initiative (SPI)

The Strategic Positioning Initiative (SPI) is a technical assistance effort led by an experienced team of national non-profit consulting organizations – NAVASA, Mosaica, and Somali Family Care Network. NAVASA is the lead/fiscal agency for the SPI project. The goal of the SPI project is to assist Ethnic Community-Based Organizations (ECBOs) to be strong, sustainable, and effective in meeting community needs. The SPI Team has been doing this by assisting organizations to carry out a strategic planning process that positions them to be innovative in meeting community needs and be competitive in challenging funding environments. The SPI project has been approved for funding by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) for three years from 2007 through 2009. The ORR supports Technical Assistance (TA) to ECBOs, through the SPI and other initiatives, to enhance the ECBOs’ capacity to be actively involved in refugee resettlement. When ECBOs are involved in refugee resettlement, bridges are built between newcomer refugee communities and community resources.

Though the SPI program is intended to support organizations which provide services to populations that have been given ORR eligibility at least within the previous 5 years, the SPI Team supports up to 12 ECBOs every year, with the expectation to have supported up to 36 ECBOs by the end of fiscal year 2009, building bridges, organization capacities and conducting effective strategic positioning retreats – SFCN supported twelve of the SPI sites—three sites per year.

[ top ]

Somali National Bantu Health Project     

The focus of the Somali National Bantu Health Project is to increase the health knowledge and leadership skills of Somali Bantu refugee women and build the capacity of refugee women to become empowered community health care advocates. It also assesses the impact of SFCN’s women’s health education program on overall adjustment and integration of Somali Bantus communities in the US.

Phase One of the project entailed an in-depth quantitative and qualitative survey of randomly selected participants in the Bantu community. The responses in the survey highlighted the participants’ health concerns and challenges.  In response, Phases Two and Three focused on a series of trainings and workshop to provide the information and resources demanded by the community. Phase Two trainings were very broad in scope and included topics like nutrition and food safety; chronic diseases and preventative health care concepts and the US Health System, including health insurance options. Phase Three focuses women’s reproductive health. The community is introduced to new health concepts and concerns such as breast and ovarian cancer; culturally compatible family planning principles; and giving birth and raising children in the United States.

SFCN partner organizations on the Somali National Bantu Health Project are Somali Bantu Development Community of Phoenix and Somali Bantu Association of Tucson, Arizona.

Minority Breast Health Awareness Project (MBHAP)     

The program provides extensive outreach and awareness on breast health and breast cancer prevention by encouraging participants to seek early screenings and follow up treatments when and if necessary. SFCN will recruit culturally and linguistically competent local health trainers and interpreters to develop and adapt core breast health care curriculum/materials. The MBHAP is designed to rectify the information deficit in low-literate and low-income African women communities by empowering these women and increasing the rate of screening for early detection..

[ top ]