Donor News
2021 Qualcomm San Diego Employee Giving Committee Selects NSDI for $12,000 Award
In June 2021, The Qualcomm San Diego Employee Giving Committee (SDEGC) selected NSDI for a $12,000 award aimed at employment facilitation for vulnerable populations. The award is part of the SDEGC Virtual Pitch Night, which harnesses the passion and interests of Qualcomm employees in impacting positive social change in their communities.
NSDI established LearnMore », a state-approved vocational training school in 2019 to provide in-demand healthcare training and employment facilitation to marginalized communities, including refugees, immigrants, and other displaced/underserved populations. The school offers accelerated healthcare training and supportive services that lead to in-demand healthcare careers and increased employability in the U.S. healthcare job market. To date, 64 participants have participated in the Nurse Assistant Training Program. In 2021, LearnMore became an approved test site for the NNAAP Certified Nursing Assistant exam and currently facilities the state certification exam for all students who complete the state-approved nurse assistant training program.
Nile Sisters Receives 2019 SANDAG Grant
NSDI ( Nile Sisters Development Initiative ) is a recipient of a SANDAG» ( San Diego Association of Governments ) community-based organization ( CBO ) partnership grant. As the lead CBO, NSDI works in partnership with SANDAG and other CBOs to provide input on the development of 2019 San Diego Forward: The Regional Plan» from the perspective of hard-to-reach populations. NSDI aims to ensure that newcomer communities have a voice in the decision-making process.
Office of Minority Health Resource Center Awards Grant to Nile Sisters
Mental-health conditions are considered priority health concerns among newly arriving and existing refugee and ethnic populations. Statewide, one such condition, dependency syndrome, is one of five top mental illnesses that disproportionately burden refugees.
Recently, NSDI (Nile Sisters Development Initiative) received a mini-grant from the Office of Minority Health Resource Center» in order to develop mental-health resources for black and ethnic populations. Through the Harambee Project, NSDI aims to increase access to evidence-based educational materials and culturally sensitive mental- and behavioral-health resources available to black and ethnic populations, as well as to lay health workers and medical practitioners.
The California Endowment Awards $20,000 to Employment Facilitation Program
In December 2016, The California Endowment awarded $20,000 to Nile Sisters Development Initiative funding (NSDI) for its certified nursing assistant (CNA) vocational training program. NSDI began facilitating the program in 2012. To date, nearly 80 participants have completed the CNA program and entered the healthcare workforce.
Healthcare careers are the most promising and rapidly growing occupations nationally and statewide. Locally, professions such as certified nursing assistant constitute the largest employment in San Diego and Imperial counties. The NSDI CNA program enables refugees and other underserved populations to access skill-training for in-demand careers such as healthcare professions.
City of San Diego Allocates Funding for Refugee Program
Nile Sisters Development Initiative (NSDI) is a recipient of City of San Diego Community Projects, Programs, and Services (CPPS) funding. The City of San Diego awards CPPS grants to public entities and not-for-profit organizations for “community, social, environmental, cultural or recreational needs.” Awarded by Councilmember Mark Kersey (District 5), the grant will fund the NSDI employment facilitation program named Back to Back Skill Development (B2B). This new investment will enable hard-to-reach populations to access certified nursing assistant (CNA) training so that they can enter the healthcare labor force.
San Diego CNA positions are in demand, and, through B2B, NSDI exposes refugees and immigrants to priority employment sectors to promote gainful and sustainable livelihoods. From 2012 program implementation to date, nearly 80 CNA participants have benefited from the asset-building program. Participants generally obtain employment in the healthcare industry within a few months after successful completion of the program.
County of San Diego Funds Training to Help Refugees Enter Healthcare Workforce
Through the Community Enhancement Program, the County of San Diego has awarded a grant to Nile Sisters Development Initiative. The county apportions the funds for programs that promote the economy, create jobs, and improve quality of life. The new award will help the Nile Sisters Back-to-Back (B2B) skill development program to provide professional development and skill-building training to refugees and immigrants in San Diego County.
John Krakauer Charitable Trust Aids Transformation, One Life at a Time
Many newly arriving refugees possess a resilient attitude and seek to become self-sufficient within months of resettling in their home. Despite their tenacious resolve, a majority of refugees lack transferrable skills that are in-demand in the US job market. Additionally, hostile homeland environments and / or natural disasters have made it difficult for many refugees and immigrants to obtain formal education, which further impedes their ability to obtain gainful employment.
To address this skill gap, Nile Sisters facilitates professional development and vocational training through its Back-to-Back (B2B) Skill Development program, a platform that prepares refugees and immigrants for employment in industries that are projected to grow in the region, such as healthcare. View entire story.»
Zable Foundation Invests in Nile Sisters Employment Facilitation Program
Despite the adversities that they encounter on their journey to the US, many refugees are eager to contribute positively to their new society. For this reason, Nile Sisters Development Initiative developed the Back-to-Back (B2B) Skill Development program. Since its inception in 2012, B2B has assisted nearly 300 refugees and other economically disadvantaged populations.
Promoting viable opportunities for self-sufficiency is a value that Nile Sisters is proud to share with the Walter J. and Betty C. Zable Foundation, whose generous grant will continue to enable the delivery of skills training services to refugees and immigrants in the San Diego region. Employment training includes a certified nursing assistant (CNA) program, behind-the-wheel driver’s license training, and professional development assistance for members of Nile Sisters priority populations. View entire story.»
The California Endowment Reinvests in Employment Facilitation Program
Courtesy of a second grant from The California Endowment», a new roster of students began training at Western Medical Training Center» toward becoming certified nursing assistants (CNAs). Western Medical Training Center is providing the next two cycles of CNA training to Nile Sisters constituents, beginning February 9, 2016.
CNA vocational training is part of the Nile Sisters Back to Back (B2B) skill development program, which expands career pathways to underprivileged communities. Nile Sisters recognizes that access to gainful employment leads to financial security and better social and health outcomes, enabling refugees and immigrants to thrive in every aspect of their lives. View entire story.»
Dehesa Charter School Students Forge Partnership with Nile Sisters
Nile Sisters Development Initiative is delighted to begin a new partnership with Dehesa Charter School», a San Diego K-12 publicly funded school whose mission it is to provide personalized learning to ensure success in an ever-changing world. Committed to raising public awareness of refugee communities in the San Diego region, the school recently lifted the curtain on Refuse, or the Golden Door, a theatrical play about the plight of refugees during resettlement in the US. The performance motivated Dehesa Charter School students to hold a variety of fundraisers and in-kind collection campaigns to benefit the Nile Sisters refugee emergency-relief program.
In January 2016, Dehesa Charter School students convened an informational community event entitled, Refugees: How Can You Help? which included a question-and-answer panel comprised of representatives from local grass-roots organizations serving refugees. As a panel participant, View entire story.»
