African Aid

Healthy New American for Vibrant Twin Cities

African Aid

AFRICAN AID - Healthy New Americans for a Vibrant Twin Cities

History

African Aid was incorporated as a 501(c)3 non-profit in August 2003 to help a growing Twin Cities immigrant population overcome difficulties associated with accessing mental health services, while also helping mainstream healthcare providers better understand the culture and religion of their patients. In the past, African Aid has partnered with a variety of mainstream organizations to increase mental healthcare access and raise the Somali community’s awareness of mental health risk factors and resources. A Robert J. Wood Foundation-funded partnership between the Minneapolis Public Schools, La Familia and Mental Health Collectives has led to the organization moving into Whittier School in South Minneapolis. Through training and outreach into the communities, there has been marked improvement in the mental and other healthcare of the immigrants in the Twin Cities.

The founding members of African Aid have more than a decade of experience in dealing with the mainstream healthcare system in Minnesota and its lack of understanding of immigrants and refugees due to culture, religion and language barriers. Karim Behi, Executive Director and founding member of African Aid, is an active, respected community organizer on behalf of African communities in the Twin Cities.

African Aid has implemented a variety of unique projects in collaboration with other organizations, including a fitness program targeting Muslim women in partnership with the Minneapolis YWCA, and a partnership with Anoka Regional Treatment Center that enabled an Imam to serve the spiritual needs of African Muslim patients. African Aid has also provided numerous cultural competency trainings with the staffs of Anoka Regional Treatment Center, Mental Health Collectives, Ramsey County, Minneapolis Public Schools and the Brain Injury Association of Minnesota.