Advocacy Initiatives

Ebola

Congress and Coalition Effort on Ebola Crisis

August 17, 2014 | New York, New York | By News by UAC Staff

Together with the United African Congress, a coalition team including Give Them A Hand Foundation, the Black Star News, Carib News, AfricaWrites, AMULOMA Foundation, MANDYN DYAMA and USSLA prepared a plan of immediate action which it presented to the UN to help address the Ebola crisis currently spiraling out of control.  The UAC came up with an action plan (see: Ebola Crisis Strategy Chart, August 2014) that is currently being implemented worldwide.

Credible Intervention:

A general access line to report new cases of Ebola: 1-866-692-3641

Concrete Deliverables:

1.      August 27th, 2014:  Alarmed by the looming and fast moving Ebola crisis in Africa, the United African Congress (UAC) and Give Them a Hand Foundation, in collaboration with Africa Writes Inc. organized an urgent forum at the UN in the ECOSOC CHAMBER. The forum created awareness, mobilized regional, continental and international resources to stem the tide of the disease and, raised funds to help provide badly needed protective gear and other necessities. Speaking at the forum were the three Ambassadors to the UN of the three most affected countries (Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone), WHO officials, Nobel Prize Nominee of Medicine Dr. Tomislav Prvulovic and on the ground report from Country based Community partners.

2.      October 24th, 2014, The United African Congress, the Give Them a Hand Foundation, and a coalition of stakeholders forming a task force – SENDIT (Stop Ebola Now Diaspora Initiative Team) joined efforts again to spearhead a one mile walk from Times Square (42nd Street at Broadway) culminating at the Dag Hammarskjold Plaza at the United Nations (47th Street at First Avenue).  The Walk to the United Nations was open to the general public to hammer home PIT (Prevention, Information and Treatment) to continue to raise awareness and combat growing stigmatization of African immigrants.

3.      Assess emergency needs: Not enough medical staff, airconditioning for medical staff and quarantine appropriate supplies to enable proper containment for research and cure.

4.      Assess the role of affected governments for equitable distribution of donated materials

5.      A program planning meeting between ambassadors, health professionals and interested NGO partners under the patronage of country ambassadors of Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria at the United Nations.

6.      Fundraiser to support logistics of experts and donated materials directly to ground zero of contaminated communities

Ebola Public Awareness:

United African Congress, Inc. is coming up with initiatives to educate the public about this epidemic by making readily available lifesaving information to the affected public and the world at large. 

Please feel free to click here and find out our progress on eradicating Ebola.

 Ebola Images

EBOLA ORGANIZATIONAL CHART

Advocacy Initiatives:

UAC, an organization that represents over over 4.0 million African immigrants residing in the United States, has been helping Africans restore their dignity.  They were active in bringing to light the events surrounding Amadou Diallo's death involving the NYPD who shot him 41 times at his doorstep.  They assisted Naffissatou Diallo during her rape incident with DSK.  We continue to build the capacity of continental Africans residing in the United States in the areas of civic engagement and positive race relations between continental Africans and their host neighbors throughout the United States, friends and people of goodwill around the world.

United States Immigration Policy and Africa:

We are currently working on advocating for a more balanced immigration policy that will center around providing equal access to justice for all law abiding immigrants and citizens of African residing legally residing in United States. We are currently following the recent changes in immigration policy and its impact of African migrants, their families, and their home countries.

Ukrain Political Crisis and African Migrants:

Our focus has been to enable the African Center in Kiev to continue providing assistance to people of African descend who are experiencing extreme economic hardship due to public safety challenges in Ukraine.

Nafissatou Diallo Rape:

Nafissatou Diallo backed by Sidique Wai (National Spokesperson of UAC), Gordon Tapper and DA Kenneth Thompson during her press conference announcing her suit vs Dominique Straus Khan (DSK) for Raping her in his suite at the Sofitel in NYC.

The Ebola Crisis:

In 2014, UAC partnered with government, non-profit, volunteer groups, and the countries in West Africa affected by the Ebola disease crisis that threatened the lives of millions. We advocated for a coordinated and effective strategy to help alleviate the suffering of African citizens affected and to provide food, clothing, medical supplies, logistical, and social services support during this crisis.

Programs

In accordance with the mission objectives of UAC, we have developed several programs to address the needs of Africans at home and abroad. Our programs are divided into the four areas of our focus:

1.    Charitable

2.    Educational 

3.    Scientific

4.    Cultural and Community (Outreach)

5.    African Development