Washington West African Center

1 COMMUNITY PROGRAMS - MAINTAIN COMMUNITY INTEGRATION AND COHESION IN THE FORM OF REGULAR GRANDMA CONNECTIONS AND EVENTS. 2 ADULT LITERACY PROGRAMS - PROVIDE ADULT LEARNING CLASSES IN ENGLISH, MATH AND ARABIC AS WELL SKILL TRAINING FOR THE YOUTH. 3 BACK TO SCHOOL PROGRAM - SUPPORT K1-K12 PUPILS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN PREPARING FOR THE NEW ACADEMIC YEAR. 4 GROCERY, CASH, BILL PAYMENT ASSISTANCE - ASSIST ELIGIBLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH FREE GROCERIES, CASH ASSISTANCE FOR COLLEGE GOING YOUTHS, BILL PAYMENT ASSISTANCE RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UTILITIES, AND MANY MORE. 5 TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE COUNSELLING - WEST AFRICAN CULTURE GENERALLY ENCOURAGES FAMILIES TO SETTLE DISAGREEMENTS AND DISPUTES USING THE FAMILY SUPPORT SYSTEM. AS A RESULT, WAWAC PROVIDES A SAFE AND CONFIDENTIAL OUTLET FOR SPOUSES GOING THROUGH A HARD TIME TO RESOLVE DIFFERENCES AMICABLY WITHOUT HAVING TO RESORT TO THE COURTS WHICH OFTEN COMES WITH VERY HEAVY FINANCIAL BURDEN, AND SOMETIMES CONSEQUENCES THAT NEGATIVELY IMPACT FAMILIES

DROP-IN CENTER: OUR DROP-IN CENTER OFFERS A RANGE OF ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS AT NO COST. WHETHER THEY ARE SEEKING HOUSING ASSISTANCE OR BILL PAYMENT, RESUME BUILDING, JOB APPLICATION SUPPORT, LEGAL OR MEDICAL SERVICES, TECHNOLOGY SKILL DEVELOPMENT, ACADEMIC HELP, RESEARCH ASSISTANCE, OR A QUIET WORKSPACE FOR TASKS LIKE PRINTING, SCANNING, OR NOTARIZING DOCUMENTS. IN 2023, 40 RESIDENTS APPLIED FOR HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS AND/OR SCHEDULED A PREVENTIVE DOCTOR'S VISIT. 25 RESIDENTS RECEIVED TRANSLATION HELP AND GUIDANCE FOR JUDICIAL SYSTEM. 20 RESIDENTS RECEIVED GUIDANCE FOR SCHOOL PAPERWORK. 565 RECEIVED A HUMAN SERVICE REFERRAL SUCH AS HOUSING AND FOOD. 32 RESIDENTS APPLY FOR EDUCATIONAL AND/OR JOB OPPORTUNITIES. 10 RESIDENTS RECEIVED IMMIGRATION/LEGAL SUPPORT PRO BONO. 50 RESIDENTS RECEIVED LOGISTICAL SUPPORT TO MEDICAL AND LEGAL APPOINTMENTS. 100 RESIDENTS RECEIVED TRANSLATION HELP AND GUIDANCE FOR JUDICIAL SYSTEM.

SPECIAL EVENTS: WE ACTIVELY ORGANIZE AND PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY EVENTS TO REACH OUT TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY, RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT OUR SERVICES, ORGANIZATION, AND WEST AFRICAN CULTURE, AND FOSTER CONNECTIONS THAT PROMOTE INCLUSIVITY AND COLLABORATION AMONG DIVERSE GROUPS.

OUTREACH & ADVOCACY: SINCE MAJORITY OF OUR WEST AFRICAN LANGUAGES ARE NOT WRITTEN AND THE COMMUNITY STRUGGLE TO UNDERSTAND MESSAGES COMMUNICATED VIA ENGLISH, WAWAC HAS FOUND EFFECTIVE THE PRODUCTION OF AUDIO-VISUAL MATERIALS IN DIFFERENT LOCAL LANGUAGES WHICH WE SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY THROUGH SOCIAL AND ETHNIC MEDIA AS WELL AS MAKE ANNOUNCEMENTS DURING OUR OWN EVENTS WE ORGANIZE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR SUCH AS OUR ANNUAL BACK TO SCHOOL AND GRANDMA APPRECIATION DAY, SUKURI NDOGU, IFTAR, KIDS ARTS EXHIBITION AND TALENT SHOW ETC. WE HAVE ESTABLISHED SEVERAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY- BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS SUCH AS ISLAMIC CENTER OF PUGET SOUNDS, BILAL ISLAMIC CENTER, SEATTLE GAMBIAN GRANDMA ASSOCIATION, MISSION AFRICA, THE ORGANIZATIONS OF DIFFERENT WEST AFRICAN COUNTRIES SUCH AS LIBERIA, GUINEA, NIGERIA, GHANA, GAMBIA, SENEGAL, IVORY COAST ETC. COMMUNITIES OF COLOR COALITION, UW BOTHEL AND SEATTLE, EDMONDS FOOD BANK ETC. WITH WHOM WE SHARE INFORMATION AND ATTEND EACH OTHER'S EVENTS. WE CREATE CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS IN DIFFERENT WEST AFRICAN LANGUAGES THAT WE OFTEN SHARE ON SOCIALS AND ETHNIC MEDIA. THIS INFORMS THE COMMUNITY ABOUT NEEDED SERVICES AND AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY DON?T TYPICALLY HAVE ACCESS TO. OVER 100 DIFFERENT AUDIO-VISUALS OUTREACH MATERIALS CREATED IN OVER 15 DIFFERENT WEST AFRICAN LANGUAGES REACHING OVER 8000 WEST AFRICANS IN THE STATE ON DIFFERENT PROGRAMS WE IMPLEMENTED. WE ORGANIZED AND PARTICIPATED IN 30 DIFFERENT COVID-19 VACCINE CLINICS LEADING TO OVER 5000 WEST AFRICANS BEING VACCINATED.