Liane Faulder
A new initiative by Edmonton’s African community aims to connect its members to food, information about jobs, plus mental health and social support.
Distributing food hampers every Friday is the most visible symbol of The African Diaspora COVID-19 Response, which has already helped 25 families gain better access to nutrition. But the outreach effort also speaks to the African diaspora’s commitment to help its members during COVID-19, according to one of the organizers of the initiative, Sharif Haji of the Africa Centre.
Volunteers distribute food — and hope — to African community members affected by pandemic
“The community felt that it needed to stand up and play a role in responding to the needs,” said Haji, noting that immigrant groups are often more significantly impacted than others by economic crisis such as the one accompanying COVID-19.
According to the 2016 federal census, there are just over 36,000 Edmontonians who were born in Africa. Roughly 10 groups within the African community – including the Liberian Community Association, Zimbabwe Cultural Society of Alberta, Diversity Magazine, Sickle Cell Foundation, Cameroonian Association, Trebi Kuma Ollenu Foundation and the University of Alberta Black Graduate Students Association – have been meeting regularly since the pandemic erupted. Pooling their resources, and with the aid of an emergency response infusion from the Edmonton Community Foundation, the group has amassed about $100,000 to fund the new initiative.
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOWThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content continued
Nii Tawiah Koney of The Nile Foundation spearheaded the The African Diaspora COVID-19 Response, and said collecting and distributing food is symbolic.
“The idea of a food bank is more important than just food,” he said. “Emotionally and spiritually, it gives the community a sense of hope.”
So far, about 30 volunteers working out of the Africa Centre are packing groceries, manning a phone line to help people navigate various government support programs, providing psychosocial and emotional support, and offering advice for entrepreneurs and others struggling with job losses.
Jeanne Lehman, executive director of Black Canadian Women in Action, a group for women in business, said the African entrepreneurial community has extra challenges, including language barriers, and access to credit. For female workers, child care adds another layer of complication. Some African Canadian people have their own businesses that have been shuttered — such as food shops or hair salons — that may not qualify for government COVID-19 benefits, and it’s uncertain if they will reopen at all. People within the African diaspora have families living in different countries also affected by the pandemic, and there is much worry and stress associated with distance and isolation.
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOWThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content continued
Lehman said many males in Edmonton’s African community have supported their families by working in the oilfield, which was already suffering the effects of low oil prices, even before the pandemic.
“Families were already fragile,” she said.
Lehman is organizing an upcoming series of employment-focussed webinars on topics such as marketing and budgeting, but also on mental health.
Africa Centre’s Haji noted that economic downturns disproportionately affect racialized people, including refugees, students and those living in poverty.
“We want to create a setting where people can discuss their concerns about the stressors they face,” said Haji.
