AISEDA Inc
The Mayor of City of Fort Wayne, Graham Richard Proclaimed Oct. 8,
2005 AISEDA day.
Tony Aduro Executive Director, Michele Yamanaka Board
Treasurer, Rev. John Loum, board member, Graham Richard Mayor of the
City of Fort Wayne, Ferdinard Moussou, Board Chair, Dr. Spencer Booth,
Board Secretary and Prof. Joseph Khamalah, Board member.
Fort Wayne Dance Collective kids led by Diane Rogers, brave the cold
and put up performance for the visitors at AISEDA grand opening
ceremony.
Tony Aduro, Mayor Graham Richards and African Immigrant youths
AISEDA board members Cherie Jones, Michele Yamanaka
and Mary Bailey assist in serving food at AISEDA grand opening ceremony.
Young explorers, an interactive learning center for
the younger kids ages 3-6 to build up their reading, listening and math
skills before joining the school. These children are given
opportunities to learn and develop their skills for school readiness
while their parents takes ESL, Civic and Job development classes at
AISEDA. |
Building capacity in immigrant communities
to promote complete integration
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Brief History & description of the
Organization.
AISEDA is a local ethnic
organization in Fort Wayne, Allen County. It is organized for the
purpose of assisting African immigrants, refugees, and asylees to
understand and fit into the social and economic life of greater Fort
Wayne and America. AISEDA does this by creating opportunities for
self-development and educating individuals in culture, language, job
skills , civic engagement and other needed areas in order to build their
capacity to improve their own well-being.
AISEDA was formed through the
efforts of the staff of local community organizations, including
churches, Neighbor Works, the City of Fort Wayne, United Way and other
professional groups, to bring special-interest programs to the newly
arrived refugees with the goal that they become more socially and
economically independent of the welfare system.
AISEDA is dedicated to
assisting African immigrants / refugees in improving their social and
economic lives. Our mission is to assist all African immigrants and
refugees to enter into the social and economic life of America by
helping them find opportunities and develop new skills. The agency was
founded on the beliefs that life is enhanced by the opportunity to
become a productive citizen and that all people should be given the
opportunity to become included in the fabric of society. Refugees need
to become part of the larger environment of Fort Wayne and America
society.
Kieth, volunteer ESL teacher
with an ESL student.
AISEDA remains dedicated to
acting as a catalyst for change in the greater Fort Wayne community by
supporting creative programs which attempt to advance the status quo,
are strategically sound and are strongly focused on improving family
values .AISEDA
pioneers civic education within the African community in this region by
expanding and improving English speaking skills and civic engagement
through the ESL program. AISEDA trains and increases the numbers of
people in the African community to take and pass the citizenship and
naturalization exam. AISEDA improves participation by taking the
education home to those, for some reasons are not able to come to the
class.
AISEDA provide vocational
training and job skills development, which leads to increased financial
stability and creates a greater foundation for civic participation.
AISEDA involves participants in the practical aspects of the civil
society by conducting educational visits to interact with the various
arms of the local, state and federal government agencies to give the new
refugees/immigrants the practical experience on how various agencies
operates and collaborates to support the community which they belong;
this is an empowerment tool in civic participation.
Stephanie and Jason (Volunteers) teaches civic
class at AISEDA.
AISEDA civic education participants pose with
Stephanie Bryant a volunteer civic education teacher.
AISEDA sponsors the Civic education program
participants to the Lincoln Museum Fort Wayne Indiana.
Learning opportunity for all at AISEDA- Newly
arrived Burmese in English/Civic class
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Executive Summary
AISEDA is a
not-for-profit organization. It is an organization that provides the
African Immigrant/refugee community with a complete Economic and Social
development program. AISEDA offers participants (from child to adult) a
positive learning environment and team experiences in order to develop
self-sufficiency. AISEDA is determined to be the main provider of
Transitional Housing, ESL, Civic engagement, Job Development, Financial
literacy and Home ownership training programs to the new
refugees/immigrants.
Rick Piat, explains the job development process to the participants.
Some of the participants in job development pose with Rick Piat.
AISEDA’s program provides
resources to new ethnic communities for developing networks, leadership
training, needs assessment, and general organizational development. The
program strengthens communities by developing strong community oriented
citizens. AISEDA will tap into the community's desire for self-help,
improve services, nurture leaders, raise funds from various sources,
explore housing and economic opportunities, collaborate with mainstream
agencies and groups, and at the same time, remain accountable to the
community.
AISEDA facilitates positive
interaction between refugees and established residents in the mainstream
community. AISEDA’s program include services such as basic assistance
and support to local newly resettled refugee groups; ethnic community
development; leadership training; and resource development, results of
these objectives could be some of the best things that has ever happened
to refugee community and the city of Fort Wayne.
Participants discusses
Citizenship and Naturalization process in the civic education class.
Tounyon uses Key train to
improve his job skills, while Zainab observes.
AISEDA provides
opportunities for program participants to learn more about their new
community and the history of their newly adopted country.
AISEDA offers
opportunities for school kids to do their home works and research while
their parents takes English lessons. |
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