About us
Our Goals
- To combat racism through teamwork
- To employ African migrants to be self-sufficient
- To educate African migrants and develop their self-esteem
- To introduce African food through festivals and other happenings
- To cooperate with African NGO´s around the world
- To establish close contacts with associations and companies in Finland
- To organize seminars on African immigrants problems
- To assist our members to organize and participate in multicultural conferences, workshops and seminars
- To assist people living in intercultural marriages
- To help Africans living in mistrust relationships
Method
AFAES holds workshops, seminars and conferences, which are specially designed for the following:
- Integrating Africans smoothly into the Finnish society
- Introducing African cultures to Finns and Finnish culture to Africans
- Assisting African children in school subjects so they can manage better
- Addressing contemporary African integration facts and issues
The stable and effective foundation, created during latest 10 years makes it possible to find new partners and to expand AFAES’s coordinating activities. In the year 2014, AFAES will improve the co-operation with the organizations around Finland to develop the cooperation between multicultural organizations and immigrant organizations.
Actions and Objectives
The main objectives are:
- Guidance, training and support of organizations, which will be achieved in co-operation with partners and with an aim to strengthen organizations and deepen their participation
- Develop and enhance communication, influencing and participation possibilities in Finnish society
- Develop cooperative network activities in order to prevent social exclusion of immigrant Africa youth
- Support equal participation of immigrant Africa women and Men
- Promotion of the emotional, physical and social well-being of Africa immigrants
Mental, physical and social wellbeing
Promoting well-being by means of association work. The common theme in AFAES project work is how AFAES can help Africans immigrants’ mental, physical and social well-being. Trainings and events will be arranged, to increase social well-being, dialogue between cultures and collective action. Physical well-being will be promoted by organizing common exercise activities and special events.
AFAES will build connections with sport associations, aimed to promote physical well-being, especially among African immigrant women and youth.
Hobbies and other activities
AFAES will search for new models of operation to integrate immigrants and to network with native Finns by creating hobby-related activities. These possibilities will be investigated and activities initiated in 2013 according to resources. AFAES promotes hobbies for the immigrant women and men and youth, family.
AFAES promotes the cooperation of member associations, especially strengthening the relations between associations with Asian-African-European background.
Target group
The key target group of AFAES are its members. In addition, the target group includes the capital region immigrants Africans, collaboration partners, authorities, the civic society, media and the public in general.
Organizational structure
AFAES ry consists of the board that is responsible for external communications and the office.
AFAES has also created a structure that supports the utilization of specific knowledge of the board members in operational planning and coordination. We currently have the following working groups:
- Youth group
- Peer support group for Women and Men
- Culture & Networking group
- Media & Advocacy group
AFAES Board
Fatima Usman
Keijo Mikkanen
Julie Ann Valkky