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| CSCM
opened the East African Women’s Center on February 1, 2005,
to fill gaps in service and support families holistically and
across generations as they make the journey into American life Originally when the Center opened, we
served mothers with small children, pre-teen and teenage girls,
and our elder women who lived in the neighborhoood. However, in
January 2011 the Center began focusing our work on women and children
who are coming to the US as “free cases.” See
Serving New Arrivals. |
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Women and their infants, toddlers, and preschoolers come to the East African Women’s Center to learn English, build confidence, create new friendships, develop cross-cultural parenting skills, and learn how to navigate American systems. The location of the space in the center of the Twin Cities East African community is without a doubt perfect. It gives women and girls a physical “place of their own” where they can break their isolation, learn new skills, build connections with mainstream society, and learn to successfully bridge two worlds. |
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| Members of the community at large visit the Women’s Center to talk with women from the African community. Recently, as part of a greater outreach visit to the diaspora community, Ambassador Donald Yamamoto of the Bureau of African Affairs talked with new arrivals about the challenges they are facing. |
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The Confederation of Somali Community of Minnesota, the parent organization of the East African Women’s Center, was established in 1994 as a 501 c 3 nonprofit, mutual assistance association by a group of Somali leaders who recognized the need to meet the significant resettlement needs of all Somali refugees. Over the past 16 years, CSCM has evolved into a highly respected, multi- service organization serving primarily Somalis but also other East Africans in Minnesota. CSCM's mission is to enhance the lives of Somalis in Minnesota, and its Board of Directors has charged CSCM's staff to address four primary goals: to ensure access to appropriate basic need and self-sufficiency services; support families, children and youth to be successful; help people understand and be successful in navigating public and private systems; and reduce language barriers. |
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and increased literacy. CSCM serves approximately 2,000 low-income and limited English-speaking East African immigrants and refugees each year | |
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| CSCM Executive Director Saeed Fahia and the CSCM staff work together with the East African Women’s Center’s staff to provide services to new arrivals as well as to East Africans who have lived here longer but still face challenges adapting to life in America. | |
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