AFAR COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

P.O. Box 43269.   London E14 7WL

  Telephone & Fax: (44) 020-7790 6046

  E-mail: afar_community@hotmail.com

COMMUNITY NEWS

It is now officially announced the establishment of the Afar Community Association in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. The name of the Association is Afar Community Association hereafter referred to as “ACA”. It shall be voluntary, self-help, social and cultural oriented non-profit making organisation.

Objects: to provide facilities for promoting the social welfare, the advancement of education, the development of culture and the relief of hardship of the community in general and the Afar community in particular, without distinctly excluding others who desire to benefit from community services. Secondly, it will coordinate supplementary and literacy classes for adults and to arrange classes in the Afar language (mother tongue for children) to equip community members with the necessary skills and qualifications in order to improve their living conditions. Thirdly, the Association will arrange cultural or social events and to be involved with multicultural festival activities in the UK and elsewhere, for the purpose of promoting and representing the Afar traditions and folklore in the international arena. It will also work closely in partnership with statutory institutions, NGOs and the voluntary sector to advance education and culture; relieve sickness, poverty, and famine; and promote good health and social well being of the Afar people and of those who are disadvantaged in particular of the Afars who live both in Ethiopia, Djibouti and Eritrea.

The Afar Community Association is based on the principles of the equal rights and opportunities of all its members- discrimination on the grounds of political opinions, nationality, religion, sex, agenda and social status is prohibited.

Area of benefit: Afar and non-Afar communities reside in the UK and Northern Ireland.

Area of operation:  Afar Community Association operates national and overseas.

Nationally it operates inside England and Wales. Internationally it operates inside Ethiopia, Djibouti and Eritrea

Establishing Afar Community Association in the UK and Northern Ireland is a great achievement, said Mr. Abdo Youssouf. It will provide the necessary facilities and will identify and will asses the needs of the Afar community in the UK and Northern Ireland, added Mr. A Youssouf.  Mr. Mohamed Omar (Merito) said on the occasion various activities have been undertaken over the last year to make the Afar Association a reality and now the dream is come true.  It is an impressive success, added Mr M. Omar (Merito). 

Mr. Adan Bodaya, said that “establishing an organisation in the UK and Northern Ireland is a historical achievement. The Association will try to reduce the social and cultural isolations of the Afar communities, particularly of the families and children, stronger social relations within the Afar communities and will improve friendly relations and contact between the Afar community and local services and other communities in the UK”.

Having an organisation would give us opportunity to foster friendly co-operation with other organisations in the sphere of culture to strengthen cultural framework and to develop the exchange of information, advice and experience with them so far” added Mr. Bodaya.

The Afar Community Association in the UK & Northern Ireland welcomes your suggestions, commitments, advice and experiences that maybe helping us to develop Afar Community Association in the future.

Should you have any enquires or need more information about the Afar community Association and the Afar people in the UK and in the Horn of Africa as well, please do not hesitate to contact us on the above address

The Association should be grateful if you would kindly send us news, history, photos, information, stories, videos, radio cassettes and any other traditional materials relating to the Afars and their culture.

The Afar Community Association looks forward to establishing a good relation based upon a mutual respect and advantages with like-minded associations.

The Afar Community Association in the UK & Northern Ireland