Yes, it is a new "era action-oriented objectives." You do not point the finger, you point the way. The reviews are pouring. And almost 314 persons have responded to the AIR Survey within two days. You may forward the Survey to your groups. Stay tuned for the next constructive step on the LEGACY! And thanks to the Nigerian Embassy that provided courteous and value-added services. Note: More pictures and poignant moments will be included in the official eMagazine.
Subject: Stop the Press! The Capacity of Continental African Stakeholders Powers a New Way Forward & Feedback from Constituency for Africa's Representative: The Continental Africa Diaspora Legacy Program on March 29 at the Nigerian Embassy, Washington, DC
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The African Union Diaspora Legacy Projects Harnessing the Capacity of Continental Africa Diaspora Venue: Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Washington, DC March 29, 2014 Continental African Network- Diaspora Organizations - I CAN DO On the Globe on African Development The Program was defined in the Invitation 85% of the over 150 Attendees were networked Leaders Rooted in Community. HANDS-ON TO BRING LIGHT TO THE ISSUES. Working directly in localities and populations in Africa or directly with indigenous Stakeholders in the Diaspora. From Algeria to Zimbabwe, Defining Capacity to Do Improving Quality of Life and Africa's Self-Reliance Bali Cultural Association, USA The Micro-enterprise Capacity Prototype Presenter. Relevance on African Union Africa Diaspora Project. Innovative Entrepreneurship for Self-Reliance: The Fishnet Program: Go to BCA-USABali USA Youths, also speaking in Bali dialect, projected the transnational Continental African identity and cultural preservation.  The Next Generation Born in USA. Upholding heritage and meeting inherent obligations in Africa. Check out Bali Youths in the USA, Group Honorees of the Day of the African Child 2014: Click  Presenters representing the Southern African Community From left: Rachel from South Africa; Omega from Zimbabwe and co-emcee Elisa from Malawi   | | Southern African Community U.S.A. |
Southern African Community, USA is the pioneering, organized regional block of the five Regions in Africa. It represents the Southern African Development Community in the African Union. Check out the Mission and Nations and More: Click The Southern African Community demonstrated the active presence and contributions of the Five Regional groups in the Diaspora toward Africa's developments. Son of an African from Kenya. He became the President of the United States: Barack Obama Top Left: The Chairman of Newark City African Commission and aspiring Newark City Councilman Dosso Kamousso (from Ivory Coast). Top Right: Councilman Edouard Haba, City of Hyattsville, Maryland (from Guinea) and the first elected Continental African to public office in the state of Maryland. The interactive presence of the civic leaders reflected the grace of civic virtues and genuine love for community. Dr. Stanley Onye, candidate for delegate in the 25th District, attended the program.  Dr. Chika Onyeani (left) chaired the African Union Diaspora Task Team and enlightened the diverse assembly on the African Institute of Remittances - AIR. More than 95% of the attendees did not have pre-forum knowledge on AIR. Participants generally welcomed AIR when the core benefits of reduced cost of sending monies to families and the socioeconomic benefits of using the fees for African developments were explained. Continental Africans provide more money to Africa than the cash flow from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund Based on the interests and feedback from constituents, I CAN DO developed a Survey to improve sensitization outreach and stakeholder engagement. Hello, the voice of stakeholders will improve decisions on the management, effectiveness and efficiency of AIR. Therefore, we invite you to Participate in the Stakeholder Survey About Your Money. Click Please, also forward the Survey to members of your organizations, your friends and family. Your timely voice is valued.  Feedback and Recommendations from Lena Prince Nchako Official Representative of Constituency for Africa On Partnership and more on CFA: Click From: Lena Prince To: Mel Foote, Founder, Constituency for Africa.
Subject: Re: March. 29: Constituency for Africa in the House! Making The African Ocean Through Partnerships for Africa's Development. It Enhances the Power of Continental Africa Diaspora
Dear Mel and Ms. Joe: Just a note of congratulations for a very innovative and interesting program to harness the capacity of the Diaspora for Development held at the Nigerian Embassy yesterday. The program successfully reflected the theme: Maximizing Partnerships for a Common Goal. I was very encouraged and excited by the array of special guests, presenters, community leaders and chiefs assembles from near and far. I personally counted about 150 people at the outset of the evening, and noted that all the tables were occupied as the program began. So, I am sure that the official count would establish the final numbers and the different countries and cultures represented. The BCA is indeed strong, resourced and organized. Those facts are well established and have been for over 40 years, which is as far back as I can remember. The concept and idea for the program was sound and I felt that the presenters and communities represented, including the illustrious Ladies of Enugu took their responsibilities seriously in terms of presenting and representing their initiatives for harnessing the Diaspora through Partnerships for Africa's Development. If I may be permitted an observation and a couple of recommendations for going forward: 1. Observations: The universe does not wait for people to get ready, but it fills its space with available resources. As I said in my remarks, CFA has been the forerunner of development in Africa, it has established a long history (over 30 years) of Mel's efforts as an individual and as the President of CFA. It has evolved in the most highly recognized and the most trusted in the USA and Africa. The African communities have been involved in community affairs and development for the same number of years or longer and have accumulated highly documented successes, that is not in question. In 1972 people were sending students abroad with community resources and that practice has spread today to highly organized development projects across Africa by the Diaspora. The resources and the efforts of Africans are recognized, that is not in question. So, our efforts must be concentrated on how to get synergy around collaborative efforts that meet systemic criteria for success and compliance. 2. Recommendations: a) We have to focus our attention on "harnessing the capacity", "collaborating", coming together to " put our strengths and skills together" - working together with institutional leaders with the systemic experience to increase effectiveness and bring results into the mainstream. That is the way forward! b) Looking at ways to ensure that information is assembled and disseminated more effectively would dispel some of the issues relative to information flow and access to opportunities as brought up in the forum. Therefore, as I mentioned in my remarks, I work with Mel because being a part of a well-established machinery to ensure that you are contributing to systemic solutions, for me, is a priority relative to "Points on Essence of Partnerships". Hence, my involvement with CFA. Conclusion As I said, I believe that as you lead the groups into the political, social and cultural transitions- from concerned citizens to a force in Diaspora development for Africa, what you can expect from CFA relative to experience, support and best practices will be practical for your progress through challenges and opportunities. CFA as the leading advocacy and diplomacy organization can help to mentor groups relative to: 1. Opportunities to weigh into advocacy and diplomacy through information sharing and playing a role in linking community organizations to projects such as the Legacy Project- a major interest and topic of discussion yesterday. The Remittance issue was well articulated by the presenter. People understood that it is to support their efforts. 2. Developing support at all levels of government and civil society to mainstream the power of the Diaspora. Mel has been the Godfather of the movement that helped with the natural evolution of the African Diaspora within policy discussions. He has always been present when people did not understand that they had to have a presence. He kept the space. 3. Help increase visibility for the achievement of Diaspora organizations relative to its successful partnership initiatives, resources and results. Mel has the ears and the confidence of those who toiled throughout their lives to see the results we are seeing today. He is a proud and committed alumni of that prestigious group. That is a fact. I am sure that CFA and ICANDO can set an effective and sustainable agenda for collaboration. I am certainly looking forward to seeing how you translate the successful evening into a systemic and sustainable engagement to truly harness the capacity of Diaspora for Development through partnership for Africa's Development. Again, it was a pleasure attending ICANDO's Forum and representing CFA. I felt that the messages that were intended by each participant that made remarks or presented were effectively delivered, even though I personally ended up on the hot seat (smile!). It was a very scintillating forum because, as noted by questions and responses during the activities and the follow ups at the end during networking, people got it! Mel and Miss Joe, please call or email me with any comments or questions relative to this content. Stay blessed, |
 | | | | Moving Forward Building capacity takes dedication, not quick fix and immediate rewards. It is not how an individual or individual organization can get ahead; it is how, collectively, people and institutions can create reliable and sustainable developments.
When the question was asked, the overwhelming majority of the participants had no knowledge about about the African Union Legacy Projects.
Due to the lack of community knowledge / awareness, I CAN DO is conducting surveys and sensitizing the goals of the other four African Union Diaspora Projects.
Cafe Meetings will be held with accountable organized representatives to reach out to a the wider community.
(1) The Skills Database of African Professionals in the Diaspora.  The Brain Gained! 2) The African Diaspora Volunteer Corps. (3) The African Diaspora Investment Fund. 4) The Development marketplace for African Development as a framework for promoting entrepreneurship and innovation. Stay tuned for more pictures in the LEGACY Program eNewsletter.  Where Do We Go After March 29? Engagement with Policy Makers, which include the World Bank; the African Diplomatic Corps; and the African governments to share baseline data and recommendations .
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| | | | | RESPONSE From Indigenous African Network- Diaspora Organizations I CAN DO
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Thank You, Mrs. Lena Prince Nchako. Your frank feedback is refreshingly appreciated.
The open secret is that Continental Africans feel a strong and continued attachment to Africa. Contribution is not even an option in most cases when our homes, families and obligations in Africa are daily dynamics. The youths who spoke echoed a poignant reality: the moral imperative is being handed to the next generation with instilled values.
Our sincere thanks again for coming to the people: individuals and organizations who shoulder the responsibilities of producing the resources to address the blight and plight in unknown corners of Africa.
When the call comes, they have to send the money. When the needs arise, they have to assist with the development projects. Some toil from dawn to dusk, having no means to attend decision-making events. Nevertheless, their stakes are validated by their productivity.
At a breakfast meeting of leaders on Monday March 31, 2014, the unanimous consent was to share your valuable feed-back with the wider community. Your experiential knowledge and wits enhanced the program. Sure, you demanded equal time and you were equal to the "hot seat questions." SMILE.
Your count at the start of the program is fairly accurate. Some came later. For example, the gifted Tambra Raye Johnson Click and the versatile Author Angeline Bandon-Bibum whose second novel The Lamentation Warrior gives another eye to the Rwanda Genocide Click came after the program had started, as well as others, perhaps after the food was gone. Another Smile.
The Takoma Park TV remarked that it was an insightful program. The attendance was excellent and also remarkable in its diversity from Algeria to Zimbabwe, including White Africans.
It was a thrill for people who knew each other only through online forums to finally put a face to the name. For example, I met the energetic Ezi Mecha of Ebony Networks and others. The "get to meet you" was noted by other participants.
In deed, the two Prototypes you mentioned are examples of the harnessed capacities (among many) of Hometown, Alumni and Professional Networks as the World Bank refers to Continental African organizations. As Prototypes, they reflect the fact that there are available expertise in the field, evidenced by accomplished projects that can be replicated or projects that are in the "work-in-process" based on the incremental phases of development. I CAN DO has developed a database of respective capacities. For example, Education has three subcategories: E ducation / Scholarship; Education / Infrastructure, which covers projects such as libraries, health stations, to clean water undertaken by alumni associations for their alma mater or non-alumni organizations for the wider community in Africa. Education/ Service shows the types of complementary support for students, which may range from mentor-ship to skills development that are not offered in standard curricula. Bali Cultural Association, USA demonstrated the harnessed capacity in the Micro-Enterprise sector. Other areas where indigenous groups are demonstrating competencies are Health/Facilities and Health/Long Term Services. Trade and investments by Diaspora groups and individuals are being researched and compiled.
Based on available, empirical research that has been conducted by many sources, indigenous African contributions outweigh foreign aid funds. These material, intellectual and social capital and potentials can be maximized and systemically integrated in African development by the African Union, regional and state governments. The salient objective of the Prototype Presentations was to demonstrate the capacity, without which stakeholders or policy makers would not have the basis for informed engagement/partnerships. I CAN DO strives on reliability and direct knowledge of organizational capacity by researching, interfacing, identifying and documenting specific areas of developments where indigenous groups have shown competitive or even absolute advantages in addressing developments in target communities. In addition, the level of awareness of a project and support beyond the membership of the organization undertaking the project is crucial because development occurs in the broader context for it to be sustainable. The moral, social, material support from the community or the support of people who believe in the value and success of the project improves public accountability. On behalf of the multi-dimensional grassroots organizations, civic leaders, regional groups and the youths, thank you again for sharing the moments and the visions.
I CAN DO looks forward to viable partnerships with Constituency for Africa. God Bless MsJoe
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