About AFRICOM
CHAIRMAN'S MESSAGE
Greetings and welcome to AFRICOM online!
The Greater Philadelphia area is home to over 100,000 African immigrants from almost every country on the continent. Since the 1960s, many African communities have established organizations to maintain social and cultural ties and to assist newcomers. In May 2001, fifteen associations - representing Pan-African groups as well as nationalities from Cote D'Ivoire, Eritrea, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, and Zimbabwe - founded the Coalition of African Communities - Philadelphia (AFRICOM).
AFRICOM's mission is to empower the African refugee and immigrant communities by:
- Facilitating family access to health and social services, with special focus on women, children and the youth,
- Promoting economic development,
- Facilitating resolution of inter- and intra-group conflicts,
- Advocating on issues of concern to African communities, and
- Educating the media and broader public on African cultures and experiences.
The Coalition proactively seeks and develops partnerships with non-profit, public, private, educational and African American institutions in the Greater Philadelphia area to achieve its mission.
A good portion of the organization's time is devoted to the delivery of programs and services geared towards the integration of African refugees and immigrants into the American culture, society and educational system.
The main objective is to facilitate integration of youth, children and families among African communities in the Greater Philadelphia area.
AFRICOM will assist African refugee- and immigrant-based communities and organizations; build organizational capability to assume proactive role and effectively support the legal resettlement and adjustment process of African refugees and other immigrants in Pennsylvania and the United States in general. Refugee resettlement will be facilitated through grants from various agencies, NGO's and foundations.
As part of this activity, AFRICOM will develop and implement programs and services in the areas of employment and job training; education and enrichment for women, children, youth, and adults; and housing assistance.
In addition, the organization will ensure that African refugees and immigrants are assisted to attain self-sufficiency shortly upon their arrival in Pennsylvania; provide linguistic- and culture-appropriate support services and employment to them; and ensure coordination of public medical, cash and other support services and effectively promote and encourage their early self-sustenance.
Executive Officers
| Name & Position | Business Title & Affiliation |
|
Dr. Philip Udo-Inyang PRESIDENT |
Associate Professor Civil and Environmental Engineering Temple University 1947 N. 12th Street Philadelphia, PA 19122 Website: www.temple.edu/engineering |
|
Sophia Scott
VICE PRESIDENT |
Tel: 610) 203-3215 |
|
Mr. Vincent N'gadi SECRETARY |
The School District of Philadelphia 400 Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19130 Website: www.phila.k12.pa.us |
|
Megan Doherty COMPTROLLER |
Assistant Director International & Service-Learning Programs University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering & Applied Science 220 South 33rd Street 111 Towne Building Philadelphia, PA 19104-6391 Tel: (267) 231-3687 |
|
Antoinette Ghartey PUBLIC RELATIONS |
Tel: (856) 304-4524 |
|
Raphiatou Noumbissi SOCIAL - WELFARE |
Family Case Manager ActionAids 3901 Market Street Box 1934 Philadelphia PA 19104 Cell: (267) 242-8233 Tel: (215) 243-2809 Fax: (215) 387-7989 www.actionaids.org rnoumbissi@actionaids.org |
Board of Directors
| Name & Position | Business Title & Affiliation |
|
Dr. Eric Edi CHAIRMAN |
Assistant Professor Integrated International Studies Knox College 2 East South Street Galesburg, Illinois 61401-4999 Tel: (215) 869-3377 Website: www.knox.edu |
|
Dr. Vera Tolbert 1st VICE CHAIR |
Vera B. Tolbert, M.S., Ph.D. Research Scientist Independence Blue Cross 1901 Market Street, 32nd Floor Tel: (215) 241-9837 Fax: (215) 761-0906 Cell: (215) 680-0722 vera.tolbert@ibx.com bareitu@yahoo.com |
|
Dr. Alston B. Meade 2nd VICE CHAIR |
|
|
Rev. John K. Jallah TREASURER |
Executive Director Agape African Senior Citizens Services Center, Inc. 229 North 63rd Street Philadelphia, PA 19139 Tel: (215) 474-9200 Phone Number: (215) 667-1531 Email: mawienj@earthlink.net Website: www.agapeafricanseniorcenter.org |
Board Members
| Name | Business Title & Affiliation |
|
Mr. Giordani Jean-Baptiste Board Member |
Director EZ Language Translation P.O. Box 28654 Philadelphia, PA 19151 Website: www.ez-language-translation.com |
|
Mr. Samuel U. Osirim Board Member |
Principal and COO Strategic Business Research, Inc. 420 Dresher Road, Horsham, PA 19044 Website: www.sbr-inc.com |
|
Dr. Bernadine Ahonkhai Board Member |
Office of Child Development and Early Learning and Pennsylvania Key Pennsylvania Department of Education 301 Market Street, 8th Floor Harrisburg, PA 17101 Website: www.pakeys.org |
|
Mr. Lansana Koroma Board Member |
Founder/Executive Chairman International Forum for the Rights of Black People, Inc. 117 South 17th Street, Suite 908 Philadelphia, PA 19103 Website: www.ifrbp.com |
| Siddiq Hadi | |
| Reginald Crabbe |