Somali Bantus

[salim]

In the last few months, there were growing numbers of somali Bantus who were settled in a small city that i live in the USA. these new immigrants are facing the most difficult times in their lives. they came to a country where everything is foreign to them and most of them are struggling to master the basic stuff like turning on and off light, using public transport system, and using their food stamp cards to buy food. In addition, the ressetlement organizations did not have, nowadays,the enough resources to support these families in long term unlike in the past where they used to support families for at least one year, now they only support them for three months and they expect these poor people to support themselves after the end of the three months. And this is really tough on them since non of them are able to get a job in a city that is facing high unemployment rates and its even hard to find unskilled jobs and on top of that the state doest not allow refugees to apply welfare since the State is in finacial turmoil .Alhamdullahi, now there are some muslim orginizations and Charities that are helping these people pay their rents and help them with their basic neccesities. As a community of somali, I encourage everybody to take actions by either writting to your congressman( if this is going on in your city or state) or to your local Mayor. If we started tackling this issue now as community, we can find a solution to this problem.

[Pacifist]

Welcome to Sol hope your visit here is pleasant. I also live in the northwest specifically Pacific Northwest. I feel you walahi...One of the organization i worked for one time asked me if i could be of help to the new somali bantus that have arrived fresh from africa. We as a somali community have failed them. Specifically in the area i live in because the somali community didn't even try to help them. They were having problems from language barrier, basic life here in the US. It seemed that the refugee org that brought them here just dumped them and told them hey it's you against Basic US leaving. Mashallah though they are very strong. The kids have the biggest disadvantage though, because they have never been to school before and teachers are having problems finding translators who speak they same language as them. I think most of them speak Rahanwayne i think that how it is spelled. Me and couple of friends of mine actually raided a town meeting by Congressman Adam Smith and we told him the problems our fellow somalis are facing. First thing he asked us was hmmm is there no somali community organization in our district? which by the way has 18 different ones!!!!

No body wants to listen to somalis problems in our state because countless time different somali communities have misused the funds they were given and the state is just tired of that. At the moment they suggested that we as Somalis should form one community until further notice well not much will be done>>>>>>>>

Inshallah May Allah Ease the pains for all of those suffering amin.

[OG Moti]

brother, bantu or not bantu they are somalis, and one day they shall go back, why dont you establish an NGO - non government organization and write porposals seeking donations from donors out there, most of the hollywood easy money makers spend millions of dollars in Cambodia in the name of humanism, write them and make money at the same time help your people.. I could give you some tips .. holla on me.... it is a great opportunity for you and sister Hasna... let me know if u are interested... and good luck for our bantu people,

 

Allah kariim

Peace

[Alle-ubaahne]

Hasna,

 

Pacific Northwest, where is that? It sounds closer to my territory of where I live. Can I see you abaa, I need help for English. I can't speak or write english especially when I see white people. They are so scary. I feel terrorized!

 

Help me here, how can speak english in the presence of white people? :confused:

[bilan]

^^^^ maybe this looks to you a joke, but not to everyone, i hope people will be serious when talking about something that is serious no wonder the quality of this forum is decreasing. hasna and saalim,instead of focusing on the state to do something,why do not you guys try to make somali community Aware, someone can go to them on the weekends and help them with the basics,or school work etc.

[Tahliil]

This is an extremely serious issue Walaal; And these new arrivals (Somalis) are all over the place helpless...and of course unlike so many of us who have a family member or two prior to our arrival here, they have none except the agencies who dumped them here...And we all know how much these agencies can do for Somali Refugees...Very little of course. Their most common answer: "We get our hands full and we don't have the resources right now for every one."

 

It is so sad, really to c some of them even go without food for days simply because they have never been given the chance and the time they needed to learn how to use the system; they have the vouchers and debit cards with them but have no clue, no idea at all that the plastic cards in their pockets can feed them all. Some have never even seen, in their entire lives, a U.S. dollar and thus can't differentiate the different US notes. I mean the basic things such as gettin power in their houses, crossing the street, or paying their electrical and rental bills is just such a formidable task for them...Some one told me that, a week or so ago, a couple died in Greensbro, ND while crossin the free way on foot in the middle of the night...I mean how sad!!!probably on their way to pick up some food from the grocery store for their children...

 

if u guys have suggestions, any sort of input of how to help our brothers and sisters and better their lives and solve and ease their burden please share with us...So glad to hear from u all, and thanks for posting this thread; the most serious issue ever I came across in SOL

[Paragon]

^^^ I agree, its a serious issue that requires greater discussion. Tahliil, Salim and Hasna, since these new Somali arrivals face such a huge difficulty, do you think training some of them about life in the US in general will help? I mean, the already existing Somali community organisations or local collages should be persuaded to provide such training, and be encouraged to seek funding for their services.

 

Human beings are selfish and segregationists to some extent, but for these poor arrivals to recieve the help they need, the only way to motivate these (mostly) incompetent Somali and non-Somali organisations is with incentives such as 'good project proposals' that would guarantee upfront funding from local government or grant-making organisations. I am sure if some of these newly-arrived are trained properbly, they would be of great importance to the rest of the arrivals. One can only help people when he/she teaches people of self-help.

 

I pray for these new-arrivals. They sure are facing a huge task.

[Seeking Paradise]

^Amiin to that. They need more than our prayers though...but who will be kind enough to offer it?

 

Posted by Alle-Ubahne:

 

Help me here, how can speak english in the presence of white people?

How is that relevant to the topic?

 

Salim

Thank you for raising the issue...It very important and often overlooked. After all If we dont help each other...who will? If you happen to know people in that kind of situation living near you...why dont you let them tag along with you while you go about your daily activities? Shopping (Food, clothes, etc.), banking, going to the masjid, offer them help whenever they need. Give them your number so they will be able to contanct you during emergencies or when they want anything clarified or even explained.

 

Help them look for jobs...introduce them to your circle of family, friends and acquaintances (someone might be ablet to help them..even if you can not).

 

Not only will you be able to help a fellow muslim in need ...but imagine the ajar you will get.

 

The time you spend infront of the tv or computer or just plain wasting...why not just 30 mins of your time...helping them get around the new system and teaching them the basic skills?

[Diaspora_Dude]

Welcome to reality guys, Somali Bantus are facing difficult times in North America and they deserve to be helped 100% without hesitation and I'll have to agree with J_11, hasna and tahliil. However, what suddens me more about their challenges in North America is the individuals who in their name "Somali Bantu Community Development Organization, (SBCDO)" applied and received state sponsered grants prior to their arrival in North America I would say two months before they resettled here. Upon their arrival (the Bantus) these crooks, selfish-minded individuals closed their make shift office and has yet to be heard from them. It's these kinds of actions that portray us whole when honest individuals speak with their representatives and State senators about any difficulties that face the "Somali Community".

[Tuujiye]

Ammin to that Jamal...

 

Salim Sxb you should think about what Ogi_moti said. you could help them people with NGO.

 

Sxb please let me know if you need any help if you are thinking of helping them, I wanna help walaahi..

 

In Canada their were some people from bosnia who where in the same condition, and the Community helped them with NGO...But Canada i much different from USA when it comes to financial support.

 

I know if we all unite as One community we could have helped them people; but it is hard if we still have dad sumeysan as our community leaders. IS up to us to take over our communities and help our people with it not only our own tribes but our people.

 

Wareer badanaa!!!

[salim]

Thanx everyone for the ideas and suggestions. OGMOTI your idea is a good idea but the problem is the somali organizations in the state that i live in are in bad terms with the local goverment due to their bad history of mismanagement and corruption, even if i try to set up one (orginization) ill have to clarify that i will be doing things different from the other existing somali organizations.Also i'm helping them with the basics like taking them to shopping, doctor appointment and filling job applications when ever i have a chance. All i'm saying lets try to help our bros and sisters. Adios

[OG Moti]

Salim brother.. you really doing a good job, and just because the rest are corrupt doesnt mean they wont let you do the right thing or you will be the same, try your best and Allah help you bro.. seriously there is a great pleasure in helping others specially when others are your people.. must luck and encourage other somalis in ur area to work with you and help these people, i feel they some how mistreated or at least cases neglected in Somalia now we need to repay them and help them in anyway we can till inshaAllah they will rejoin us together hand by hand back to home lands...

 

Allah kariim

Peace

[OG_Girl]

Salim, you are doing great job brother. In this situation isn't just favore ( khair)but is Wajib toward your brother/sisters in religion, keep educating others to help it too.

 

Salam

[ferocious]

Dang it!! Its to late, i already turned my paper in ..I was just doing a paper on Immigrants on Welfare..

 

getting to the point... I know they are struggling and its a huge issue, but let me clearify one thing, they never had 1 year support. They are usually given 1 month of support from Immigration Agencies then they are put st8 on welfare. Now welfare agencies take them to job training programs. They can be on Welfare for 5 years. By welfare i mean Cash Assistance. The only problem I see is these job training programs were set up for People born in the united states, which makes it harder for immigrants to learn because one needs to know the basic english language before they can go on and learn job related skills ya think!!....

 

Let me know if i can be of any help..

 

a while ago i heard on Hiiran.com something about a Bantu woman not ever using a toilet and she was shocked at the toilets and the house she was living in. Now i assumed she came from badiye, if am not wrong u said something about them now knowing how to turn the switch bulb on and off ... Are you for Real...or is this a Stereotype. All Bantus cant be like that... :confused:

[SomeAlien]

i heard alot about this group from american media recently, its funny cause they portrayed themselves (the american govt) as saviors to these poor brutalized africans (they made it seem like the majority somalis were like the "arab sudanese"). they accually tricked the mom into saying that shell let her daughter date since shes in america. subxanallah. if there is anything we can do to help let us know, im also interested in knowing the latest developments about their situation. may you be rewarded for yr efforts. masha allah.