- Top news stories from Chicago and the African continent
- Music from Jose Moella Kabongo of DRC
- Advice Box: African Cabdrivers and Healthcare
Welcome to African Voices, episode 14! In this episode, we highlight local news as well as news from the African Continent. Upcoming events, Advice on African Cab drivers, an Egyptian dessert recipe, and an exclusive Africans in Chicago interview with Congolese musician Jose Moella.
Local News:
UAO Executive Director Among 2013 Chicago Community Trust Fellows
The Chicago Community Trust Fellowship is a significant investment in the leadership talent for nonprofit organizations. Experienced leaders receive up to $60,000 and emerging leaders receive up to $30,000 to fund their professional development plans.
The Fellowship is designed to elevate the careers of Chicago leaders and increase their future impact in the Chicago metropolitan area. The fellows have one year to complete their professional development plan.
The Fellowship provides a unique opportunity for Alie Kabba to hone his leadership skills and lay the foundation for a Chicago-based national African advocacy network, which will deepen collaboration among African community-based organizations and elevate the voice of African immigrants and refugees in the US.
Support Highway Safety: Driver’s License for ALL Illinois Motorists!
Current law prevents 250,000 Illinois immigrant motorists who cannot get SSNs from getting licenses– even though they need to drive to support their families. These unlicensed, uninsured drivers are involved in 79,600 accidents each year, costing $660 million in damage claims.
Providing a way for ALL Illinois motorists to have drivers license will make everyone on our state’s roads safer.
What Other States Are Doing
Washington and New Mexico already require all immigrant motorists to get drivers license. Since New Mexico made this change in 2003, its rate of uninsured motorists fell from 33% to under 9%.
New Mexico also saw a 24% decrease in alcohol-related crashes and a 25% drop traffic fatalities.
Call your Legislator to Support Highway Safety in Illinois!
African News
Mali Crisis: African Union backs plan to deploy troops
The African Union (AU) has backed a plan to send troops into Mali to clear the north of Islamist extremists.
It endorsed the decision by West Africa’s regional bloc Ecowas on Sunday to send 3,300 troops to help Mali’s government retake the region.
The plans will now go before the UN Security Council for approval before the end of the
year.
Islamist groups and Tuareg rebels took control of the north after Mali’s president was overthrown in March.
The UN has warned that the Islamist militias are imposing a harsh version of Islamic law on the areas they control and that forced marriage, forced prostitution, and rape are becoming widespread.
The Ecowas plan covers a six-month period, with a preparatory phase for training and the establishment of bases in Mali’s south, followed by combat operations in the north, Malian army sources told Reuters news agency.
The soldiers would be provided mainly by Nigeria, Niger and Burkina Faso.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-20315423
Former Libyan prime minister to be tried
Al-Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi accused of crimes committed under Muammar Gadaffi, according to public prosecutor’s spokesman.
Libya’s former prime minister will be put on trial for crimes he allegedly committed during the rule of Muammar Gaddafi. Al-Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi was extradited from Tunisia, which he fled to in September 2011 after the fall of Tripoli to rebel forces.\
“I am not guilty, not guilty, not guilty,” he said during a visit to the prison organised by the authorities in an apparent bid to quash rumours he had been tortured.
“I am ready to be tried by the Libyan people. I am sure of myself and of my innocence,” he said at the time.
Along with Saif al-Islam, Gaddafi’s most prominent son, Mahmoudi is one of the few remaining keepers of the many state secrets under Gaddafi, who was killed on October 20 last year.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/11/20121112244246422.html
Rescue Efforts end at collapsed Ghana mall
Rescuers have ended their search for survivors of a shopping mall collapse in Ghana’s capital Accra last week which killed at least 14 people, officials said on Monday.
The four-storey building, operated by Indian retailer Melcom Ltd in Accra’s Achimota neighborhood, collapsed on Wednesday due to a suspected structural failure as employees gathered for morning prayers before opening for business.
Kofi Portuphy, head of the National Disaster Management Organisation, said emergency personnel, who used excavators, heavy duty cranes and shovels to remove debris, reached the structure’s ground floor late on Sunday.
UAO would like to send our condolences to the lives affected in this tragedy.
https://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/12/us-ghana-collapse-idUSBRE8AB0JJ20121112
Upcoming Events
Thanksgiving With The Congolese Community
Saturday, November 17th
3:00-8:00pm
Immanuel Lutheran Church
616 Lake Street, Evanston, IL 60621
Citizenship Workshop
Friday, November 30th, 2012
12:00-2:00pm
Indo-American Center
6326 North California, Chicago, IL 60659
If you are not yet a citizen, attend our
next Citizenship Workshop!!
To fill out the citizenship form, please bring the following:
- Have your Green Card, Social Security Card, State ID or Driver’s License
- List of places you have traveled to since you received residency
- List of where you lived, worked, and/or studied for the past 5 years
- Information about your spouse including: name, date of birth, Social Security number, Green Card number, and/or date and place your spouse because a citizen (if applicable)
- Information about your children including: name, address, date of birth and Green Card number (if applicable)
- If you are married, have your date of marriage available
- Information about previous marriages for both you and your spouse (if applicable): date of prior marriage, date the marriage ended and reason the marriage ended
- If applicable, information about any arrests: reasons of the arrest, date, place and disposition
- For men only: Selective Service number and date of registration, call (847)-688-6888 if you don’t know
- Money Order/Cashier’s Check for $680.00 payable to U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Please pay $10.00 (cash) at Exit Station for postage
For more information, contact us at:
(312)-949-9980
Tanzanian Independence Day Party
Saturday, December 8th
7:00pm- 1:00am
Cornerstone Center in Chicago
1111 N. Wells, Chicago, Il 60610
**$29 Discounted Tickets until 11/25**
Advice Box
Access to affordable health care is an issue of particular significance to the African community.
African immigrants and refugees currently constitute a disproportionately high percentage of all cabdrivers in Chicago. The profession has become the employer of last resort for many educated Africans who find it difficult to access other employment opportunities.
African cabdrivers experience significant challenges in accessing quality and affordable health care. As self-employed individuals, it is often the case that many African cabdrivers do not have health insurance and are unaware of the resources available to them.
UAO’s African Cabdrivers Health Survey is the first of its kind initiated by an African community-based organization in Chicago. It includes 25 questions, which focus on cabdrivers’ overall health and access to related services. The survey will also collect other pertinent data, including their educational background, working hours, and county of birth. This information will allow UAO to gain a comprehensive understanding of the population’s make-up and needs. The survey will be distributed to 500 African cabdrivers across the city in both English and French.
If you or anyone you know is currently working as a cabdriver, please fill out or ask them to fill out the survey online by clicking here!
Ingredients
-
1 (17.25 ounce) packagefrozen puff pastry, thawed
-
5 cups milk
-
1 cup white sugar
-
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-
1/4 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1/4 cup chopped pistachio nuts
- 1/4 cup sweetened, flaked coconu
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Unroll the puff pastry sheets, and place flat on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until puffed and golden brown.
- Break the puff pastry into pieces, and place in a large bowl. Add the raisins, almonds, pine nuts, pistachios, and coconut, and toss to distribute. Pour into a 9×13 inch glass baking dish, and spread evenly.
- Pour the milk into a saucepan, and stir in the sugar and vanilla. Heat until hot but not quite boiling. Pour over the mixture in the baking dish.
- Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Turn the oven to broil, and broil for 2 minutes to brown the top. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve warm.
Music Interview
Outro: Thanks for listening, and we’re wishing you and your families in the States a happy Thanksgiving! Until next month!
