The West African Community Council (WACC) has been a vital resource for West Africans and other immigrants in the Puget Sound region. This organization's mission is to advocate, organize, assist, educate, and support West African community members while preserving traditions, culture, and social, religious, and moral beliefs.
WACC works toward a community where diverse traditions are respected and honored, families are given equal opportunities, and individuals are valued regardless of their country of origin, ethnicity, and gender.
History and Formation
Since 2013, the West African Community Council (WACC) has been helping West Africans and other immigrants, refugees and people of color to thrive in the Puget Sound region. Our organization began with a small group of concerned friends from the West African community who came together to offer basic ESL classes and career assistance to newly arrived family and friends from West Africa.
Since 2010, the West African Community Council (WACC) has been helping immigrants and refugees from West Africa to thrive in the Puget Sound region. We primarily serve West Africans living in King County. Our clients are overwhelmingly low-income, limited-English speakers. The majority are Muslim, and many are undocumented.
During the current Coronavirus outbreak, our constituents are coming to us as a trusted source during a time of uncertainty, anxiety and tremendous need. Our constituents are struggling to find out what they need to know to keep their families safe and deal with the economic devastation the pandemic is causing in an environment filled with misinformation. This is especially difficult for our many constituents who are non-native English speakers.
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Programs and Services
Now serving over 4,000 individuals each year, our programs include a multilingual/multicultural preschool, ParentChild+ program, Immigration Legal Services, Labor Standards Outreach and Intake, Parent/Caregiver Support Programs, Help Me Grow program, information and referral services, case management, civic engagement outreach/education, and food and rental assistance.
We serve over 4,000 individuals each year through a range of programs including a multilingual preschool, ParentChild+ program, Family Preservation Services, Immigration Legal Services, Labor Standards Outreach, a Parent/Caregiver Support, family counseling, information and referral, and case management. We also provide a wide range of informal services to meet our constituents’ needs including housing advocacy, financial assistance and counseling, and food assistance.
To better understand the scope of WACC's activities, here is a summary of their key programs:
| Program | Description |
|---|---|
| Multilingual Preschool | Provides early childhood education in multiple languages and cultural contexts. |
| ParentChild+ Program | Supports early learning and development for children through home visits and parent education. |
| Immigration Legal Services | Offers legal assistance to immigrants navigating the complex immigration system. |
| Labor Standards Outreach | Educates workers about their rights and helps them address labor violations. |
| Parent/Caregiver Support | Provides resources and support for parents and caregivers to promote healthy families. |
| Help Me Grow Program | Connects families with resources to support their children's development. |
| Information and Referral Services | Offers information and referrals to connect individuals with needed services. |
| Case Management | Provides individualized support to help individuals and families achieve their goals. |
| Civic Engagement Outreach/Education | Promotes civic participation and educates community members about their rights and responsibilities. |
| Food and Rental Assistance | Offers assistance with basic needs such as food and housing. |
Parliament Ad Hoc Committee | Advocate Andrea Johnson
Additional Context: West African Research Association (WARA)
Founded in 1989, WARA’s mission is to promote research and scholarly exchange between West African and US scholars and institutions. As an organization that seeks to foster and promote transnational knowledge , WARA has created spaces and spheres where scholars from the two sides of the Atlantic have opportunity to exchange and share their own scholarly work and/or to further knowledge on a specific topic.
The African Language Materials Archive (ALMA) is a valuable resource for teachers, literacy trainers, readers, language learners and scholars. It is a collaborative project initiated by WARA, WARC, UNESCO, Columbia University and the Digital Library of International Research (DLIR). The ALMA project includes a web-based electronic archive of original materials published in African languages. Currently the archive contains E-Books in Wolof, Pulaar and Mandinka, collected from authors in Senegal and the Gambia. Materials in other languages will be continuously added. You can view the archive at the Digital Library for International Research.
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