Programs

Community Navigators Program: There are 4 components to This model allowing AKWAABA QC through Community Navigators to reach our growing numbers of immigrants, refugees and LEP populations in the Quad Cities.
- The Community Navigators recruitment and training which allows them to train their community in return on topics relevant to them.
- The Community Presentations: The presentations and educational events are conducted by our community navigators to inform the immigrant community on various topics Including but not limited to Know Your Rights, Immigration-related topics such as Immigration 101, Emergency Planning, Guardianship, Deportation Defense, Know Your Housing Right, etc.
- The Accompaniment is any service provided by our Community Navigators to assist our Community members in accessing legal or other services critical to immigrant families including but not limited to Legal services, following up on referrals, appointment scheduling, document preparation, accompanying to a legal appointment, follow up after a legal meeting, collecting court documents, filing a police report, etc. Other services critical to family stability - assistance with guardianship, financial planning, public benefits applications, unemployment, housing, and other services.
- Referrals to various agencies and organizations: AKWAABA QC's staff and its Community Navigators have been collaborating with various organizations and have been referring clients whose services are not in-house to local agencies and beyond. Therefore establishing the only Community Navigator Program in the Quad Cities has allowed us to reach the growing immigrants and refugees and is intended to bridge the gap between the community and non-profit organizations with the ultimate goal of providing support and resources to our community members.
- River Connection to Immigrants Population Program: Is to allow immigrants to connect with the Mississippi River through education on river safety, exploration of the river which teaches participants first-hand about the wildlife, history, culture, geology of the river, walking or biking along the river, boat rides, safety sign implantation in various languages.
- Healing Illinois Program: Is to allow AKWAABA QC through Narrative Change, to build awareness of racial healing and justice work to immigrant populations in order to facilitate their engagement, leadership, and activation through knowledge and understanding of racial healing and racial equity. AKWAABA is going to strengthen trust and relationship building among the immigrant populations in the Quad Cities; Expand opportunities for immigrant communities and individuals to begin to heal from the harms caused by the racism they are experiencing; Increase awareness and media engagement focused on racial healing and equity; Hosts workshops to teach immigrant community members
how to share their personal stories to activate others for systemic change; Amplify truth narratives of immigrant communities who are mostly impacted by systemic racism; Education and Training through the Community Navigators Model;

- Southern Border Arrivals Program : Is to welcome migrants and asylum seekers mainly from Africa, South Africa and Asia who are coming through the border of Mexico in connection with their families and friends and mostly provide them a wraparound services, foods, transportation, kids school enrollments, immigration support which includes the information session on asylum's process from the application to the obtention of the work permits, linkage to healthcare, information session on Know Your Right which is going to allow them to navigate their new home. This effort allows AKWAABA QC to continue addressing the needs of the migrants and asylum seekers coming in the Quad Cities through its staff and Community Navigators who speak different languages that are spoken mostly by the newcomers.