Ujima, ‘the principle of collective work and responsibility’ is deeply ingrained into the upbringing in our different African communities. However, when we immigrate to Canada, we often assimilate to the extent of shrinking our traditions to make space for new norms. I distinctly remember holiday celebrations while growing up in Uganda that seamlessly melded tribal and religious customs. I was raised Christian, but had close Muslim relatives so we were exposed to religious diversity and tolerance really early on. We would celebrate both Muslim and Christian holidays and as a child, this was really exciting because we got to eat everything. Have you ever had rice pilau (pilaf) with thick goat stew on a shared platter with siblings, cousins and neighbors? Very few practices scream trust as eating from a communal platter – but those were and still are our traditions that we respect and import to Canada with us. Overtime, the stressors of maintaining a decent quality of life, advancing education, owning a home, raising a family, planning for retirement, and providing financial assistance for relatives back home force us to abandon some of our traditions, such as Ujima, in pursuit of individual success.
In the first edition of our newsletter, we introduced the Nguzo Saba (Seven Principles) that form the foundation of our work as the Calgary African Community Collective. Ujima is one of those principles and it represents a specific key objective – to improve collaboration amongst the African organizations operating in Calgary. In practice, this principle guided our seed granting initiative during the Covid 19 pandemic by which we provided financial support to our grassroots member organizations to bridge service delivery gaps. This principle has also inspired the creation of the Ujima Hub which will open its doors this summer. The Hub is a centre for African organizations in Calgary to congregate, exchange knowledge, collaborate, and work towards shared goals for vibrant, inclusive and equitable communities. Although our projects aim to mainly benefit Africans living in Calgary, we often draw lessons from Indigenous ways of knowing, partner with other diversely represented organizations, and utilize resources made available by City of Calgary such a how to practice Asset-Based Community Development. We believe that shared responsibility is essential to promoting social wellbeing and are proud to celebrate the programs that our member organizations have developed that promote the principle of collective work and shared responsibility.
For instance, a recent Seniors Week community activity organized by BTO Foundation, a Calgary-based nonprofit organization that supports African and Carribean seniors, brought seniors to Kariata Beauty Salon with the purpose of alleviating loneliness and boosting self-esteem. Loneliness amongst Canadian seniors increased during the pandemic with StatCan estimating that one in five reported experiencing loneliness. With loneliness and isolation being recognized as a global public health issue, it is important that we assume shared responsibility for improving our communities and, work together to build strong connections within our city.
Our organization has witnessed and experienced the positive effects of Ujima through the generosity of partners/collaborators/funders like Network for the Advancement of Black Communities, Calgary Foundation, Africa Centre and United Way of Calgary and Area who have helped strengthen our organization’s capacity to pursue our mission and vision. We are eager to welcome Calgarians to the Ujima Hub as we continue to respect and celebrate the diversity that has made our city so unique. The Ujima Hub is located at 3944 29ST NE, Calgary (AB) and will be publicly accessible this summer.
This article was written by Christine Nanteza, a consultant for CACC, and contains recollections from her childhood.
Funding Focus
- The Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) is still accepting applications for the ‘small projects component’ (until July 23) and the ‘youth component’ (until October 4). The fund aims to create more opportunities for persons with disabilities to take part in community activities, programs, and services, or access employment. Click here for more information including Canada’s Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2022.
- Community Safety Investment Framework (CSIF) is accepting applications until July 18th. Eligible projects will help improve Calgary’s primary crisis response within the first 24 hours of contact and secondary crisis response providing coordinated access to immediate services. CSIF is a collaborative effort between The City of Calgary and Calgary Police Service, and supports Calgary’s Mental Health and Addiction Strategy. Click here for details including dates for information sessions.
- Canadian Tire Jumpstart Community Development Grant offers grants to support programming and operations to organizations who provide programming for kids between the ages of 4-18 in financial need or youth with disabilities between the ages of 4-25. The fund accepts applications throughout the year so get yours ready as the next deadline is July 12.
- National Anti-Racism Fund is accepting applications for the Event and Youth Initiatives Grant until July 31. Youth-led or focused initiatives such as conferences, summits, workshops, galas, festivals, exhibits, and reconciliation or intercultural activities are eligible for up to $10,000. Successful initiatives will align with one or more of the following themes and objectives: systemic racial barriers, research and education, public awareness and/or cultural and intercultural community building. Find out more.
Community Involvement
See celebrations happening in Calgary during National Indigenous History Month.
Light up our Podium is an event organized by Ladies in the Family Foundation in partnership with Calgary Arts Development and the Government of Alberta. It aims to empower young Black girls aged 12-24 through art, music, poetry, and performances in the fight against racism. The free event will take place on June 22, at 5:00 PM at the Divya Sutra Plaza and Conference Centre Calgary Airport – 3515 26 St NE.
Representation Matters
- Being Black In Canada is a segment by CBC News that covers stories from and about Black people living across Canada. It features several success stories and opens a window into the diverse experiences of people of African descent in Canada.
- HERConnect, an initiative led by Ladies in the Family Foundation released a free access mental health resource guide for Black newcomers and immigrants to Calgary. The handbook is one of several tools that the initiative provides to increase access to community-based, culturally sensitive mental health services.
Contact Us
Ujima News is an inhouse newsletter designed with our members in mind. Our aim is to make knowledge translation and knowledge sharing a core activity of the collective through free media communication.
