ASG's Efforts in the USA

Our Service Areas

United States of America: New York City

There are already many high profile charities tending to a variety of needy individuals and groups in the U.S. Even so, the African Salvation Group feels that African immigrant communities are still under served. Due to language and cultural reasons, many are not aware of recent health concerns or civil resources that are available to them. As ASG is still a small organization, we have focused our efforts to helping this segment of the New York City population.

In New York City where the HIV prevalence among the general population is less than 1%, it is high among the African community. About 4%, according to the data recorded by African Services Committee, Inc., the sole organization whose target population for HIV anti-body is the African immigrant community and to which ASG refers its NYC clients for HIV, STD, and TB tests.

Since October 2002, the African Salvation Group has been involved in the HIV prevention outreach. We have partnered with the African Services Committee, Inc., the lead organization in the CDC funded African Community HIV Prevention Campaign program. Our activities consist in educating the under-served and hard-to-reach African immigrants about HIV transmission, prevention, available treatment option, risk reduction, and stigma and discrimination. ASG's client base comprises multi-dialect speaking sub-Saharan African immigrants who live in high-prevalence HIV-infected neighborhoods. Many have illegal immigration status and insufficient command of the English language, so they lack access to information and services, and are at risk for HIV infection.

In addition to the HIV Education/Prevention outreach, the African Salvation Group has an interagency referral system where people are linked to services, which are not provided within the agency such as testing and treatment. The majority of our NYC clients are referred to African Services Committee, Inc., which has testing laboratory and treatment programs.

Target Population

Our interventions target the impoverished communities, particularly children and women who are typically the most vulnerable members of these communities. ASG is engaged in improving their access to prevention services and to empower them to break the vicious cycle of poverty they had come from.

Core Program Areas

Health:
Health Education/Risk Reduction; Counseling, testing and referral service (CTR); and Prevention Interventions services targeting under-served and high-risk population through public outreach, counseling, and referral services.

Capacity Building & IEC:
Job development, support to education (training), rehabilitation, food security, information and referral services.

Our Current Projects

1. HIV/AIDS, STDs & TB Education/Prevention, Counseling Campaign and Referral Networks
2. Community Capacity-Building and Information, Education, and Communication