In the heart of San Diego, specifically in the City Heights neighborhood, a dedicated group of East African women have established a vital space to address the pressing concerns of their immigrant community. Since 2008, the United Women of East Africa Support Team (UWEAST) has been a driving force, empowering women and young girls to achieve their highest potential.
UWEAST's mission is to serve as a cultural hub that provides essential services and advocacy. Their focus is on cultivating resilience, promoting self-sufficiency, and enhancing the overall well-being of San Diego’s East African community. The women, representing diverse backgrounds from across East Africa, find a supportive community where they can grow both personally and professionally, sharing experiences as refugees.
The Genesis and Growth of UWEAST
UWEAST began its journey in 2008 and gained significant momentum in 2010 through a 3-year project grant from the California Wellness Foundation. The primary goal was to bridge the gap between the community and service providers, implementing a linguistically appropriate, culturally competent, and cost-effective physical and mental health intervention program.
“It is truly remarkable to witness the establishment of the Salaam Youth and Community Center,” said Sahra Abdi, Executive Director of UWEAST. With a foundation of trust, a proven history of collaboration, and an ambitious vision, the Salaam Youth and Community Center is poised to become a model for successful partnerships in the future.
UWEAST has recently been selected to receive a $2 million gift as an awardee of the Yield Giving Open Call. The Yield Giving Open Call - managed by Lever for Change - focused on elevating organizations working with people and in places experiencing the greatest need in the United States.
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Empowering Women Through Entrepreneurship
‘Blessings and new beginnings’ for refugee-run catering company Baraka and Bilal
Many refugees arrive with valuable skills and talents. UWEAST focuses on helping women and young adults adapt to a new culture while financially empowering them to seek future careers. The organization also carries a strong sense of community, with many collaborative efforts between the African Coalition Workforce, PANA and other East African groups in City Heights.
For many women, this means becoming entrepreneurs, taking their skills - and their spices - to the kitchen. UWEAST has two catering service programs aimed at promoting entrepreneurship through cooking: Hayaat Kitchens and Bilal and Baraka.
UWEAST launched its first catering service, Bilal and Baraka (which translates to Beginning and Blessing), in 2013 to give refugee women a chance to make their own money while connecting with the larger San Diego community. Today, there are 18 women participating in the program, serving Ethiopian, Somalian, Eritrean and other East African cuisine. Some of their most popular dishes include sambosas, a fried dish filled with meat, lentils or cream cheese and coconut, and injera, a sourdough flatbread which is eaten almost daily in Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Hayaat Kitchens, UWEAST’s newest program, began in January. The catering service offers North and East African food to students and passersby at the weekly UC San Diego farmers’ market. Some of the women who participate in Hayaat Kitchens have been turning their love of cooking into a business for years.
The catering service was inspired by a similar project in Ethiopia, in which women were able to save money to start their own businesses, like laundromats or even ice cream trucks. “We know cooking and we can make money out of that,” Abdi remembered thinking.
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Addressing Community Needs in San Diego
The need for entrepreneurial programs for immigrants, such as Bilal and Baraka and Hayaat Kitchens, is particularly evident in San Diego, the county with the most refugee arrivals in California. Awichu Akwanya, UWEAST’s program director, said many members of the community arrived in San Diego's City Heights neighborhood in the 1980s and 1990s, fleeing Somalia and Ethiopia.
Today, refugees come to the city to be near friends or family - and to find familiarity in an unfamiliar place - but they are landing in communities with unaffordable housing and few opportunities to earn livable wages. Immigrant communities are increasingly turning to temporary, informal work in transportation, childcare, restaurant and domestic help to make ends meet.
Although San Diego’s unemployment rate dropped from 11.3 percent in 2010 to 5.9 percent in 2017, a study on the San Diego refugee experience by the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) found high levels of unemployment in refugee communities, especially among women.
“Refugees face the barrier of not having their qualifications and skills recognized in their new home,” the study noted. Meanwhile, the cost of living in San Diego is escalating. The average value of a home in San Diego County is $563,800 and the median gross rent $1,598, according to the 2017 Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Forecasts predict these prices will continue rising. Gentrification is already pushing East African residents out of City Heights, Akwanya said.
Programs for Youth and Young Adults
UWEAST’s programs focus on helping women and young adults adapt to a new culture while financially empowering them to seek future careers.
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- Connecting Souls: A monthly program aimed at teaching adolescent girls to plan for a career. Women Give, a San Diego nonprofit, helps to bring women working in different fields to speak with the 14-to-19-year-old girls.
- Making Connections: The program teaches the 16-to-25 year olds about mental health and gives them a safe place at the UWEAST office to hang out.
For the UWEAST Girl Scout troop, their time is truly enriched by the programming that the staff offers them.
Health and Wellness Initiatives
United Women of East Africa was founded in 2008 and has a health-focused mission to help East African women and children get medical support without barriers. UWEAST sends interpreters and translators to go with patients free of charge, with over eleven languages offered, including Arabic.
The organization offers support to everyone, but there are highlighted, concerted efforts to reach women. “They’re the pillar of the house. They’re the ones that are keeping the whole family together. They’re the ones who are supporting not only their husband, but also their children. Also the community, they’re the ones that are making the changes. Education is at the forefront of the work.
Key Figures and Partnerships
UWEAST is grateful for the long-standing partnership of Southwest Airlines. Kayla Valencia, together with predecessors Kelly Knox and Lidia S. Martinez continue to serve as valuable advisors, partners, and allies for the UWEAST team. Sahra Abdi, Executive Director, United Women of East Africa, together with Abraham Tessema, Refugee Assistance Center and Chuoi Tut, Southern Sudanese Community Center are proud to lead the establishment of the Salaam Youth and Community Center, a collaborative space operated by three ethnic community-based organizations that serve African populations.
This Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, UWEAST is proud to celebrate and honor the incredible women who inspire us every day. At UWEAST, we see the strength of women in every program, every initiative, and every story we share.
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