The African Festival: Why?
The fundamental purpose of the African Festival is to celebrate Africa and share our African heritage with our host community.
United Africans of Utah is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit established in 2004 by African Immigrants and refugees to support each other and to promote easy integration of newly arrived refugees and immigrants.
We provide educational workshops, mentoring, and organizational support for individual African communities. We serve over 20 African community organizations through grassroots community action. We also intervene to solve differences and conflicts between community members when necessary.
United Africans of Utah exists to empower, educate and support Africans in the state of Utah.
We value community, open communication, and service.
United Africans of Utah offers a variety of programs including:
African Festival – The African Festival is a cultural celebration of our African heritage and is produced by UAU. The festival is an open showcase of African cultures, dance, and art. It is free to the general public. The festival features music and cultural performances along with food for people to enjoy as well as crafts to buy.
Visit African Festival for more information »
Computer Literacy Program – Through our Computer Literacy Program we aim to enable our community members and leaders to acquire the computer literacy skills required for their success in today’s marketplace. Computer literacy builds upon the objectives we have for soccer and karate by providing opportunities for self-sufficiency and gainful employment for our youth.
The computer literacy program will offer a four-class course specially designed to help refugees who have limited to no computer literacy skills. There will be four key points of emphasis: 1) Software, Hardware and the Internet 2) Word – Writing letters, reports and more 3) Excel – Creating a budget 4) PowerPoint – Creating and giving presentations.
Computer literacy training will target primarily refugees who need basic computer skills. Community leaders who are in this category will have priority, but the program will be open to others. Everybody who is a refugee and who wants to develop basic computer skills will be considered for training based on space availability.
Contact Maxwell Ayeliya at maxwell@theuau.org.
Read more about our Computer Literacy Program »
School and Family Outreach – United Africans of Utah provides outreach services addressing refugee community leaders’ concerns with refugee youth through educational outreach to refugee families and schools in Salt Lake County to better equip parents and educators with knowledge and strategies to help refugee youth succeed. This outreach program is funded by the Utah Department of Workforce Services.
Contact: Shauna Doumbia, School and Family Outreach Program Coordinator by email Shauna.Doumbia@theuau.org or phone 801-520-4431.
Youth Karate Program – United Africans of Utah sees the practice of karate as a means toward healthy youth development. Sports in general, and karate in particular, can be powerful programmatic tools in achieving these goals. The UAU karate program is based on a time-tested, intentional youth development structure with a proven success record. Our program emphasizes discipline, respect and behavioral enhancement. Our karate program will continue to support youth development in the refugee communities through our stripe system and by providing consistent training, clear expectations and modeling of positive behaviors.
Contact Dr. Amadou Niang at niangam925@gmail.com.
Read more about our Karate Program »
Youth Soccer Program – The UAU Soccer Program supports refugee youth and young adults by combining soccer with education and employment-related workshops. Soccer is one great way to bring many of the at-risk refugee youth together and engage them in positive activities during after-school hours and on weekends when they are most vulnerable. It creates harmony and a sense of belonging in the community. UAU is partnering with the Utah Refugee Education and Training Center (RETC), Utah Refugee Sports, Utah Referees, Salt Lake City Parks and Recreation, Refugee Justice League, and other refugee community-based organizations to make the USU Soccer Program a reality.
Contact: Newton Gborway at newton@theuau.org.
Read more about our Soccer Program »
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Our partner organizations include: