Events

Tuesday | May 29 | 2018
Learn-Over-Lunch Series

Nile Sisters Development Initiative ( NSDI ) invites you to attend Learn-Over-Lunch, a three-part series to acknowledge Mental Health Awareness Month. Each two-hour program will overview NSDI then highlight current pressing issues in refugee and ethnic communities in San Diego County. Guests will enjoy delectable lunch cuisine while proposing solutions for these issues in lively conversations with stakeholders and impacted individuals.

Since 2001, NSDI has supported refugees and immigrants in San Diego through essential services, including employment facilitation, family advocacy and education, and emergency relief. NSDI is a 501c3 charitable organization, federal Identification number 91–2131196.

Tuesday | February 6 | 2018
Refugee Roundtable: Spotlight on Female Genital Cutting

February 6 is International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM. FGM is an abbreviation for female genital mutilation, also known as female genital cutting ( FGC ). Join Nile Sisters Development Initiative ( NSDI ) for a roundtable discussion to take place at San Diego State University ( SDSU ). Roundtable participants will engage in dialogue with impacted women and local service providers to reveal the extent of FGC statewide, nationally, and globally. 

This first roundtable event in 2018 will feature internationally renowned FGC activist and author Dr. Nina Smart, founder of Servicing Wild Flowers International» ( SWF ). The US Congress honored Dr. Smart after California Senator Mendoza chose her as 2016 Woman of the Year for her nonprofit work. Dr. Smart inspires and moves others to action by offering opportunities to collaborate on effective solutions to end FGM in a non-violent way. 

In the United States, the number of women and girls considered to be at-risk for FGC has more than doubled since 2000. California is most impacted, with approximately 57,000 women and girls at-risk. Approximately 37,483 women and girls in Southern California are at potential risk of experiencing FGC.

Friday | December 8 | 2017
MIND Quarterly Meeting

MIND ( Matters Involving Neuro-Disorders ) is a community-driven, cross-sector consortium, seeking to address mental and behavioral health issues, as well as socioeconomic disparities afflicting refugee and ethnic communities. Utilizing collective impact strategies, MIND pioneers new practices at the nexus of community participation and stakeholder engagement.

The intended audience for MIND includes but is not limited to

• Academic institutions
• Community-based organizations
• Ethnic community-based organizations
• Faith leaders
• Individuals from refugee and ethnic backgrounds
• Mental and behavioral health service providers
• Public sector entities
• Refugee resettlement agencies

Thursday | September 28 | 2017
Refugee Crisis: Spotlight on South Sudan

On July 9, 2011, a jubilant world watched ROSS become the world’s newest country. Now, six years later, ROSS faces internal conflict, famine, and the fastest growing populations of refugees and internally displaced people.

An estimated 3,500 refugees from Sudan, Darfur, and South Sudan reside in the San Diego region, a key resettlement area for the Lost Boys of Sudan in the early 2000s and current home to around 98 Lost Boys.

Th F Sa . July 20, 21, 22 . 2017
Refugee and Ethnic Populations Health Convening

Join NSDI (Nile Sisters Development Initiative), in partnership with the Office of Minority Health Resource Center for a three-day workshop with sessions covering technical assistance and capacity building for board members and senior executives of health-oriented, ethnic community-based organizations (ECBOs) and training for African and immigrant community health workers.

This event has three purposes:

• to provide evidence-based information to increase and strengthen the competence of ECBOs to provide culturally and linguistically proficient services to underserved minority populations
• to build organizational development and engagement with mainstream health organizations, public policy, and other stakeholders
• to promote collaboration and community building by refugee leaders and community members

Additionally, the Refugee and Ethnic Populations Health Convening aims to provide training to health outreach workers and gatekeepers who work with recently arrived refugees and other ethnic minority populations, specifically as it relates to the prevention and treatment of HIV / AIDS and hepatitis B and C.

Target participants for this event include board members and senior executives of ECBOs, CHWs, public health professionals, medical practitioners, and other health-oriented stakeholders.

Friday | June 9 | 2017
Refugee and Ethnic Mental Health Coalition Meeting 4

Mental health is widely acknowledged as a priority health issue across refugee community members and stakeholders in San Diego County. On October 5, 2016, NSDI (Nile Sisters Development Initiative) convened ethnic and faith leaders from the refugee community for a roundtable discussion. The purpose was to better understand concerns and discuss potential steps for collective action.

On October 17 and November 18, 2016, follow-up community dialogues gathered more than 37 representatives from 16 organizations. The participants discussed promising practices, evidence-based interventions, and recommendations to improve mental health knowledge, awareness, and utilization of services. A compilation of the findings, Advancing Equity: Refugee and Ethnic Mental Health», is available free of charge to the public.

One-hundred percent of participants who completed post-event evaluations expressed the importance of meeting regularly and taking action. For now, the past participants will meet quarterly and form a Refugee and Ethnic Mental Health Coalition.

Meetings to Date
06 / 09 / 17
11 / 18 / 16
10 / 17 / 16
10 / 05 / 16

African Communities Public Health Coalition»
Advancing Equity: Refugee and Ethnic Mental Health report»

Wednesday | January 25 | 2017
Female Genital Cutting: A Conversation in San Diego

Nile Sisters Development Initiative (NSDI) presents Female Genital Cutting: A Conversation in San Diego, to take place at the University of San Diego, Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice on January 25, 2017, from 6:00–8:00pm. The event will feature a short film screening and panel discussion among female genital cutting (FGC) survivors and activists, health care professionals, and other experts on the topic of FGC.

In the United States, the number of women and girls at risk of experiencing FGC has more than doubled since 2000. The state of California is most impacted, with approximately 57,000 women and girls at-risk. This cultural practice is prevalent among refugee and immigrant communities. San Diego is a refugee-impacted county: approximately 150,000 refugees and former refugees reside within county limits. An estimated 30,000 individuals from this high risk population live in the city of San Diego. Elizabeth Lou, NSDI President / CEO, notes, “this is an urgent conversation that the community needs to have, given that FGC is a reality in San Diego.”

Friday | October 21 | 2016
Healthcare Career Symposium

Healthcare career employment opportunities are projected to grow in the San Diego Region. To bridge the gap between employers and prospective candidates from cross-cultural populations, Nile Sisters is hosting a Healthcare Career Symposium. The symposium will expose refugee and immigrant communities to a plethora of opportunities within the healthcare sector. Participants will learn to build career résumés, hone interviewing skills, expand career networks, and connect with healthcare providers and healthcare educational institutions in San Diego.

Wednesday | August 10 | 2016
Refugee: The Eritrean Exodus

Nile Sisters Development Initiative invites the public to a film screening of Refugee: The Eritrean Exodus, a powerful exposé of the struggles experienced by forcibly displaced Northeastern African refugees who seek safety from violence, torture, and persecution. Claiming a population of 150,000 refugees and former refugees, San Diego is the largest resettlement site in the state of California.This enlightening documentary will provide San Diegans with valuable insight for welcoming and helping Eritrean neighbors to rebuild their tragically broken lives.

Wednesdays | July 6 | July 27 | August 10 | 2016
Feminism Workshops

Nile Sisters is pleased to announce three feminism workshops to be presented in the months of July and August 2016. Feminism is the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes. These workshops are part of a research project written by Marisa Meno, a student at San Diego State University», in partnership with Bread and Roses Center for Feminist Research and Activism», which maintains a goal to build a stronger local feminist community.

Ms. Meno’s research project will attempt to

• determine how immigrant and refugee women perceive feminism and women’s roles in society
• identify obstacles that these women face in accessing social services and / or employment
• inform participants of key feminism topics
• demonstrate how feminism respects diverse cultures and belief systems
• encourage participants to express their opinions
• encourage participants to voice struggles that they may have faced personally

If the feminism workshops reveal that local immigrant and refugee women are experiencing obstacles to equality, the San Diego feminist community could rally to help remove the barriers.

Saturday | June 18 | 2016
Sand to Sea Showcase

Help Nile Sisters celebrate international cultural diversity during World Refugee Awareness Month. Experience the colors, patterns, sounds, tastes, and traditions of exotic African and Caribbean cultures. Browse through and buy traditional clothing gifts and sample exotic food prepared by local restaurants. Observe and indulge your taste buds in a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony. Move and groove to the rhythms of Africaribbean music.

Wednesday | May 11 | 2016
Financial Literacy and Water Conservation Workshop by Wells Fargo and SDG&E

Nile Sisters Development Initiative will host presentations by Wells Fargo and SDG&E to enhance financial literacy skills, water conservation, and energy conservation. Attendees will enjoy a complimentary lunch and will receive helpful printed materials to take home.

Friday | November 20 | 2015
Dance for Health Introduction

Because refugees and immigrants resettling in the United States are at increased risk of developing diabetes mellitus type 2—commonly called type 2 diabetes (T2D)—Kaiser Permanente has funded this Nile Sisters Development Initiative outreach program, named Type 2, Not You!

All adults, children and languages are welcome to the first class. Attendees will . . .

• learn how inactivity and T2D relate
• learn how exercise fights T2D
• learn to use dance as exercise
• practice Afro-Caribbean rhythms

Nile Sisters Development Initiative pro­vides gen­eral infor­ma­tion and dis­cus­sion about health-related sub­jects. Content, including text and photographs, pro­vided in this website and in any electronic documents linked to this website, are not intended to be and should not be con­strued to be med­ical advice. Anyone having a med­ical con­cern should con­sult an appropriately licensed physi­cian or other healthcare worker.

Friday | October 30 | 2015
Type 2 Diabetes Overview

Because refugees and immigrants resettling in the United States are at increased risk of developing diabetes mellitus type 2—commonly called type 2 diabetes (T2D)—Kaiser Permanente has funded this Nile Sisters Development Initiative outreach program, named Type 2, Not You!

All adults, children and languages are welcome to the first class. Attendees will . . .

• learn what causes T2D
• learn how to prevent T2D
• learn to identify T2D symptoms
• learn your own body mass index
• consult a T2D expert
• join a hands-on cooking class
• sample free healthy snacks

Nile Sisters Development Initiative pro­vides gen­eral infor­ma­tion and dis­cus­sion about health-related sub­jects. Content, including text and photographs, pro­vided in this website and in any electronic documents linked to this website, are not intended to be and should not be con­strued to be med­ical advice. Anyone having a med­ical con­cern should con­sult an appropriately licensed physi­cian or other healthcare worker.

Saturday | October 24 | 2015
Helping Hands, Healing Hearts

Nile Sisters Development Initiative has collaborated with La Jolla Presbyterian Church to host the annual brunch and fundraiser auction on Saturday, October 24. Themed Helping Hands, Healing Hearts, the event will include a fun silent auction, delicious brunch, lively cultural entertainment, and drawings to win cool prizes. Nile Sisters requests and will gratefully accept an admission donation of at least $50 per person. Event proceeds will enable Nile Sisters Development Initiative to provide new refugee and immigrant women to the community with resources and vocational training to prepare them for a new career.

Fridays, July 1 | July 24 | August 28 | 2015
Type 2, Not You!

Because refugees and immigrants resettling in the United States are at increased risk of developing diabetes mellitus type 2—commonly called type 2 diabetes (T2D)—Kaiser Permanente has funded this Nile Sisters Development Initiative outreach program, named Type 2, Not You! National University is a partner in the 2015 series.

All adults, children and languages are welcome to the first class. Attendees will . . .

• learn what causes T2D
• learn how to prevent T2D
• learn to identify T2D symptoms
• learn your own body mass index
• consult a T2D expert
• join a hands-on cooking class
• sample free healthy snacks

Thursday | April 16 | 2015
Nile Sisters Development Initiative Open House

Bearing an event theme Do One Good Thing for a Better World, Nile Sisters Development Initiative (NSDI) 2015 open house will welcome the general public to learn more about refugee and immigrant communities in San Diego County and the impact that Nile Sisters programs have upon these populations. The event will feature local cuisine and lively entertainment from San Diego-based businesses and will provide opportunities to meet NSDI constituents and hear powerful stories of how they are overcoming obstacles to independence.

Saturday | February 21 | 2015
S.A.F.E. Women

The S.A.F.E. (Secure And Fully Empowered) Women program aims to equip refugee and immigrant women with training to help keep themselves and their families physically safe. S.A.F.E. Women training focuses on human trafficking awareness and personal safety techniques. The president of the Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition presented the human trafficking component. Play It Safe provided hands-on personal safety instruction and techniques for defending oneself against a physical attack.

Saturday | February 7 | 2015
Community Clean-Up

Nile Sisters Development Initiative collaborated with I Love A Clean San Diego and San Diego Canyonlands to host the first Community Clean-Up on Saturday, February 7. Including active-duty sailors, nursing students, high school students, and refugee community members, the diverse group of 20 volunteers filled 10 bags with garbage and recyclables. Just imagine! Without this intervention, items that Nile Sisters’ volunteers collected at the 47th Street canyon would have become pollution in the Pacific Ocean. This event allowed the refugee community to make the environment a priority in their lives and enabled them to be active participants in US citizenship!

Learn how to invest in Nile Sisters volunteer opportunities.»
Add your name to our volunteer-interest list.»

December 1–31 | 2014
Adopt-a-Family

In America, the month of December has become a time in which family members from all cultures reunite to give and receive gifts of love. Nile Sisters Development Initiative established the Adopt-a-Family program in order to help refugee and immigrant families to share American holiday traditions, and, at the same time, give American citizens an opportunity to deeply imprint the emotional reward of humanitarian service upon members of their own family.

Each November, Nile Sisters Development Initiative identifies San Diego refugee families with particularly critical resettling needs. After we develop profiles for these families, including wish-lists, we invite San Diegans to sponsor a family of their choice. Some sponsors purchase and present wish-list items to refugee families in their residences. Other sponsors choose to host and share a day’s outing, including a meal, with the family.

Send an Adopt-a-Family email inquiry to Niles Sisters: info@nilesisters.org»

Monday | December 8 | 2014
Portraits of Success

The Portraits of Success event program includes the following special presentations:

• an inspirational keynote speech by Mark Kabban, CNN Hero and founder of YALLA (Youth And Leaders Living Actively)
• an a cappella performance by Frequency, a UCSD vocal group
• a community member mission moment
• auction of work by spray-paint artist Ray Ferrer

Event attendees will be eligible to win special prizes, such as admittance tickets, including the following:

• Maritime Museum of San Diego
• The New Children’s Museum
• San Diego Air & Space Museum
• San Diego Chargers
• San Diego Natural History Museum
• Slater’s 50 / 50 Burgers by Design
• USS Midway Museum

Saturday | November 22 | 2014
Type 2, Not You!

Because refugees and immigrants resettling in the United States are at increased risk of developing diabetes mellitus type 2—commonly called type 2 diabetes (T2D)—Kaiser Permanente has funded a new Nile Sisters Development Initiative outreach program, named Type 2, Not You!

All adults, children and languages are welcome to the first class. Attendees will . . .

• learn what causes T2D
• learn how to prevent T2D
• learn to identify T2D symptoms
• learn your own body mass index
• consult a T2D expert
• watch live cooking demonstrations
• sample free healthy snacks

Nile Sisters Development Initiative pro­vides gen­eral infor­ma­tion and dis­cus­sion about health-related sub­jects. Content, including text and photographs, pro­vided in this website and in any electronic documents linked to this website, are not intended to be and should not be con­strued to be med­ical advice. Anyone having a med­ical con­cern should con­sult an appropriately licensed physi­cian or other healthcare worker.

Saturday | June 7 | 2014
Celebrating as One on World Refugee Day

The month of June is widely regarded as Refugee Awareness Month, however June 20 is designated as World Refugee Day by the United Nations.

To raise awareness of and to cultivate appreciation for the diverse refugee populations living in San Diego County, Nile Sisters Development Initiative invites public attendance of Celebrating as One, our 2014 World Refugee Awareness Day event on Saturday, June 7. Celebrating as One will feature a variety of fun activities, including cultural entertainment, traditional poetry, live multi-culture music, raffles, entertainment for children, and a delectable array of ethnic food.

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