HEALTH

AAII is committed to improving access to health care throughout West Africa. Recognizing that lack of access to medical services is a major cause of death among residents of rural communities, AAII’s Founder and Chairman initiated activities to generate the human and financial resources needed to make access to comprehensive health care a reality for approximately 100,000 people living in some of the most rural areas of Senegal. In the late 1980’s, with the support of dedicated volunteer nurses and physicians from America, AAII began to address the needs of a severely medically underserved population by conducting ad-hoc, primary care “clinics” three times a year for approximately eight years. As demand for health services multiplied, AAII sought funding to build a permanent facility that could offer year-round primary and reproductive health care and where residents of rural communities could be trained as Community Health Workers.

In 1997, in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund-Senegal (UNFPA), AAIIestablished the Shifa-al-Asqam (Healers of the Sick) Socio Medical Center in Medina, Kaolack.

SHIFA-AL-ASQAM SOCIO MEDICAL CENTER
Karimah A. Joseph, MD, Medical Director

Shifa-al-Asqam’s mission is to provide compassionate, comprehensive patient care to meet the medical and social needs of the people of Medina-Kaolack and the surrounding rural communities. The Socio Medical Center is a focal point for health related, disease prevention and treatment, social services and training. AAII has expanded the mission of Shifa-al-Asqam to include sharing donated medicine, medical supplies and medical equipment locally (15%), regionally (30%), nationally (50%) and internationally (5%) and has established the Shifa-al-Asqam Satellite Clinic in Kossi-Atlanta.

With a primary focus on maternal and child health, Shifa-al-Asqam provides the following services:

• Primary Care
• Prenatal Care
• Obstetrical/Gynecological Services
• Pediatric Care
• Preventative Care to Mother and Infants
• Urgent and Emergency Care
• Dental Services
• Opthalmologic Services
• Nutritional Support and Counseling
• Radiology Services
• Laboratory Services
• On-Site Pharmacy

Shifa-al-Asqam provides treatment for:

• Malaria
• Tuberculosis
• Cholera
• Meningitis
• Malnutrition
• Dehydration
• Diarrheal Diseases
• Chronic Illnesses (Asthma, Diabetes, Hypertension, Anemia)

The positive impact of Shif-Al-Asqam on the life of rural families is apparent in measurable indicators that address the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s)

• 50% decrease in maternal mortality
• 35% decrease in child mortality under the age of 5
• 43% increase in the rate of immunization against preventable diseases (HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases)

In collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), one of Shifa-al-Asqam’s most successful initiatives is its Vaccination Program that, to date has vaccinated more than 5,000 children against:

• Measles
• Mumps
• Rubella
• Whooping Cough
• Polio
• Tetanus
• Yellow Fever
• Hepatitis

AAII health initiatives that continue to have a significant impact on the quality of life of women and children include leadership in educating the population and the government of Senegal about the human rights and health violations of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and the campaign to educate the population about the benefits of breast feeding. As a result of AAII’s pro-active leadership around these important issues, the Senegalese government passed legislation that outlaws FGM, and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) recognized Shifa-al-Asqam as a “Baby Friendly Hospital”. AAII’s Shifa-al-Asqam Socio Medical Center is the first health care facility in Senegal to receive this prestigious designation in recognition of the education and psychological support it provides new mothers to breast feed and its refusal to accept the donations of manufacturers of prepared infant formula.

AAII’s other successful health initiatives include:

• Project Global 2000, a Child Survival Initiative to significantly reduce the morbidity and mortality of infants and children in Senegal.
• Milk Distribution Project for Mothers and Children (over 2 years of age).
• Shoe Distribution Project to reduce parasitic skin infections.
• Wheelchair and hand-held crutch distribution to disabled children and adults.
• Construction of X-Ray Suite
• Medicine Distribution to the Hajj Committee
• Medicine Distribution throughout Senegal and neighboring Mauritania.
• Construction and staffing of Satellite Clinic in Kossi-Atlanta.

In February, 2004, in an unprecedented demonstration of cooperation between government and an NGO, the Senegalese Ministry of Health provided 50 physicians and three traditional healers to work with AAII volunteer physicians and community health workers. In one day, 4,500 people received medical care between the Shifa-al-Asqam site in Medina-Kaolack and the ad hoc clinic created in Kossi-Atlanta for the event.

The Shifa-al-Asqam Socio Medical Center is a focal point for health related education, disease prevention and treatment, social services and training. The training program has especially benefited nurses, midwives and community health workers. AAII’s volunteer base has provided physicians and other health professionals from Nigeria, Ghana, the Gambia, France, Sweden, German and the United States.

AAII has been selected by AmeriCares as its “Country Partner” for the distribution of HIV/AIDS medication and other pharmaceuticals throughout Senegal. AAII also partners with UNICEF, UNFPA, WHO and WORLD MEDICAL RELIEF to bring health education, medicine, health services, vaccinations, medical equipment and medical supplies to the region. AAII’s ability to successfully collaborate with international organizations, governments and international charities demonstrates its capability to utilize resources for optimum effectiveness and efficiency.

AAII’s commitment to making health care accessible to residents of rural areas of Senegal is supported through its strategic partnership with US Doctors For Africa. The fully equipped Mobile Clinic provided by USDFA includes a small laboratory and access to a satellite communication system. As part of its rural outreach initiative, AAII’s Shifa-Al-Asqam Socio medical Center is responsible for the management, maintenance and deployment of the first mobile health care facility in this sub-Saharan nation.

In 2008, AAII entered into a strategic partnership with Children’s Chance, Inc. a U.S. based organization that brings children with special medical needs from other countries to the United States for pro bono treatment.  In recognition of the the enormous need for specialty care of African children, AAII is expanding its roster of physicians, medical institutions and hosting organizations, as well as developing resources to enable it to bring African children and an accompanying parent to the U.S. for care that is not available in their home countries.

FUTURE HEALTH INITIATIVE FOR WHICH AAII IS SEEKING SUPPORT:AAII proposes the establishment of the (Hajja Umm Sa’datou Niass) Nutrition Center to provide nutritional services and information to pregnant and lactating women, infants and children and their caregivers, with the goal of significantly reducing low birth weight, failure to thrive, micronutrient malnutrition, susceptibility to disease and maternal/infant/children under 5 mortality.

In conjunction with the Shifa-al-Asqam Socio Medical Center and the Satellite Clinic in Kossi-Atlanta, the Nutrition Center will:

• Promote child growth from birth to 36 months.
• Promote physical and mental development by reducing micronutrient deficiencies in women and children.
• Integrate nutritional interventions, proper feeding and infant care, e.g., delaying the first bath, keeping the baby warm but not overheated and the importance of breastfeeding within the first hour after birth.
• Encourage exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of life; discourage the introduction of watery, cereal based foods that reduce frequency of breastfeeding and contribute to a higher rate of malnutrition.
• Promote prolonged breastfeeding with appropriate supplements after the first six months of life as a means to prevent diarrhea.
• Promote healthy weaning practices and discourage early introduction of solid foods.
• Promote hygienic practices to protect infants from malnutrition, growth retardation, infection and high mortality.
• Actively work to stop unethical promotion and distribution of breast milk substitutes in the region.
• Serve as a central clearinghouse for nutritional information.
• Provide nutritional assessment and necessary supplements as part of basic health services.
• Provide necessary nutritional support to orphans attending AAII schools.
• Train community health workers how to assess the nutritional status of children seen in community health centers throughout the region.
• Provide fortification of staple foods and essential vitamins and minerals to sustain healthy mental and physical development.

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EDUCATION

The United Nations has identified Universal Education as one of its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).  AAII considers Universal Education a basic human right that is well supported by Islamic teachings regarding literacy and the pursuit of knowledge. AAII is in the forefront of advocacy for the inclusion of girls and women in all educational opportunities, as reflected inAAII’s educational and literacy initiatives. AAII has demonstrated its unwavering commitment to Universal Education through the establishment and on-going development of its Schools in Medina-Kaolack and Kossi-Atlanta, Senegal. AAII’s International Islamic Schools Program consists of three schools and two Adult Literacy initiatives:

• The Qur’anic School
• The Arabic School
• The Pre-Primary School
• Women’s Literacy Project
• Adult Literacy and Education Project

Islamic education provides an ethical framework for living in a complex world. AAII offers an Islamic education that is rooted in the true teachings of Islam that counter radical ideologies that distort Islamic principles. AAII is dedicated to developing educational strategies that foster peace and respect among the people of the world. As part of AAII’s commitment to advancing access to Islamic education at all levels, including medical education, AAII’s Founder and Chairman served as President of the University of Elhadji Ibrahim Niass in Dakar, Senegal.

AAII’s International Islamic Schools Program enables students from Africa, America, Europe and the Caribbean to experience spiritual, intellectual, physical and emotional growth during their time in Senegal, at the same time being prepared for re-entry into mainstream educational systems and universities throughout the United States, Europe and the Islamic world. Support in the academic subjects they require to facilitate their re-entry into educational systems upon their return home is provided by volunteer teachers from the United States and Europe. Franco phone African students are supported to learn English in preparation for higher education in the United States and institutions in other English-speaking nations. American students return to the United States having acquired language skills in Arabic, French and Wolof.AAII’s Education Program was honored by the World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (WANGO) with its 2002 Education Award.

The Qur’anic School

AAII’s Qur’anic School is respected internationally for educating young male and female Muslims. Students in the Qur’anic School learn to read, write and memorize the verses of the Holy Qur’an toward the goal of becoming Hafiz, i.e., one who has committed the entire Qur’an to memory. Each year, celebrations are held to honor students who have successfully reached this goal.

AAII’s Qur’anic Schools in Medina-Kaolack and Kossi-Atlanta, Senegal offer an international faculty who teach Qur’an within an Islamic environment and provide students with a rich cross cultural experience. AAII’s Qur’anic School consists of twelve months of instruction.

AAII’s Qur’anic Schools currently serve 1,800 students. Potential students from throughout West Africa, America, Europe and the Caribbean continue to apply for admission, but are turned away due the lack of teachers, classrooms and dormitories to accommodate them.

The Arabic School

AAII’s Arabic School offers a complete primary and secondary academic education in the Arabic language. Students learn to think, read, and write in Arabic in all required academic subjects.AAII’s Arabic School consists of ten months of instruction. Students may remain in Medina-Kaolack or travel home for vacation, at their parents’ discretion.

The Arabic School curriculum includes:

• Interpretation of the Holy Qur’an,
• Islamic Jurisprudence
• Application of Islamic Principles in the 21st Century
• Biography of Prophet Muhammad
• Arabic Grammar
• Logic
• Literature
• Practical Sciences
• Mathematics
• History

AAII’s Arabic School currently serves 150 students. Young Muslim men and women from diverse geographic and cultural backgrounds seeking admission are being turned away due to lack of resources to build additional classrooms, hire more teachers and provide gender-specific dormitories. As a result, many opportunities to provide a balanced Islamic education are lost to the well-financed schools that promote an extremist ideology, and from which Muslim women are completely excluded.

Pre/Primary School

AAII’s Pre/Primary School provides 45 children, ages 3-5, with instruction in:

• Islamic Manners
• Memorization of Short Chapters of Qur’an
• Reading Readiness
• Pre-Computational Skills
• Socialization in an Islamic Environment

Many of the children require nutritional support to enhance their ability to learn and thrive.

Shaykh Muhammad Mahy Cisse, BA, MA, Azhar University, is currently the Principal of AAII’s International Islamic Schools.'  His leadership in curriculum development and faculty accountability combine modern educational principles with a traditional approach. In addition to his role as the Program’s chief administrator, Shaykh Muhammad Mahy Cisse provides students with both academic and spiritual guidance in their journey toward an ethical and successful life.

AAII International Islamic Schools Fees

In order to meet the rising costs of teachers’ salaries and housing, electricity, water, food and lodging for international students, the Fee for Instruction, Room and Board is $400 USD per month, plus a recommended $50 USD per month to cover students’ laundry, hair care, personal items and snacks. Fees are payable by the 10th of each month via Money Gram or Western Union. Families wishing to enroll more than one child may apply for a ‘family rate’. Upon enrollment, a $100 Revolving Medical Expense Fund must be established and replenished as needed. Living arrangements include both school based and community based housing.

It is recommended that parents visit Medina-Kaolack, Senegal prior to enrolling their children in order to familiarize themselves with the community in which their children will be living and the traditional method of teaching students will experience. It is further recommended that children under ten years of age be accompanied by a parent who will remain to provide the necessary care and supervision young children require.

For further information and to apply to AAII International Islamic Schools, please contact us.

AAII Adult Literacy Initiatives

AAII’s Women’s Literacy Initiative established classes for women to learn to read and write in their local languages of Wolof, Pular and Serer. Over 5,000 women participated in this initiative that prepared them to assist in the publication of “Warri”, a monthly publication that is distributed throughout rural villages in the Sine Saloum Region of Senegal. The publication contains articles about issues affecting women and their families. AAII’s Women’s Literacy Initiative is built upon collaboration between the government of Senegal and the Canadian government and reflectsAAII’s partnership role in the Senegalese government’s “Alphabetization Program”.

AAII’s Kossi-Atlanta Adult Literacy Initiative serves adults in rural areas surrounding Kossi-Atlanta, Senegal. As part of AAII’s deep commitment to ending illiteracy, encouraging continuing education and developing marketable skills, the materials used in this project include academic and computer literacy. AAII’s Kossi-Atlanta Adult Literacy Initiative empowers men and women in these rural communities to enrich their lives through reading, function at a higher level of understanding of the world around them, become more economically stable and to be more effective participants in the education of their children.

PRESENT NEEDS AND FUTURE GOALS:

The present needs and future goals of AAII’s International Islamic Schools Program, for which support is being sought are:

• Construction of new classrooms for the Qur’anic and Arabic Schools to permit expansion of a Muslim student population from diverse geographic and cultural backgrounds;
• Support for salaries and housing for ten (10) additional teachers.
• Construction of dormitories for male students; construction of dormitories for female students.
• Construction of dormitories to house orphaned children and support for salaries for childcare staff and maintenance workers.
• Expansion of AAII’s Adult Literacy Initiative
• Construction, staffing and equipment for an AAII Vocational School to train African Muslims in marketable skills that will enable them to support themselves and their families. Currently family and community are disrupted when men are required to leave women, children and elders behind when they emigrate to find work. Typically, they are gone for years, while their children grow up, and their parents pass away. The ability to earn a living without having to leave their countries is essential for the financial and psychological stability and well being of the family and the entire community.
• Construction of an institutional kitchen and salaries for cooks to meet the nutritional needs of children.Multifaceted support for balanced Islamic education in Africa that is rooted in the true teachings of Islam is essential to counter extremists’ attempts to radicalize African Muslims.AAII is seeking support for the following educational interventions:
• Establishment of Islamic schools throughout West Africa to assure that Muslim children in primary grades through high school are provided with a balanced Islamic education that offers them an intellectual and spiritual alternative to extremist thought.
• Establishment of a West African Regional Islamic Education campaign to present Islam in a Sufi context through classes, seminars, conferences, public service announcements and publications as a means of thwarting the efforts of extremist groups to spread their radical ideology throughout West Africa
• Acknowledgment and support of the role of Islamic education in encouraging moderation and promoting inter-religious understanding and peacebuilding among Muslims and followers of other faith traditions.
• Development of practical initiatives to re-train teachers, develop new curricula, and develop educational materials that reflect a Sufi perspective, encourage diminishing inter-religious conflict and encourage cooperation among diverse faith traditions.
• Utilization of distance learning technology to permit people in the United States and other places in the world to learn about Islam from a Sufi perspective in a West African cultural context.
• Development of educational materials (audio/visual and print) and curricula for use with African Muslim students and American students from diverse religious traditions suitable for elementary, middle and high school aged students.
• Organization of Sufi conferences throughout West Africa to disseminate information about Islam that is consistent with the letter and spirit of the Qur’an and the example and practice of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

AAII’s International Schools Program invites your support and partnership. For more information about how you can help, please contact us.

PARTNER WITH AAII

Significant aspects of AAII ’s work are currently supported through strategic partnerships with the following American organizations:

• AmeriCares (Distribution of AIDS medication and other pharmaceuticals)
• Voice of America (Support of Al Fayda Radio)
• US Doctors For Africa (Mobile Clinic for rural outreach)
• BC Marketing Detroit, MI (Communications strategy) 

AAII is always interested in collaborating with organizations and individuals committed to sustainable international development.  Please contact us if:

• You are an NGO and would like to partner with AAII in one or more aspects of our humanitarian activities: Health Care, Education, Empowerment of Women, Protection ofChildren, Alleviation of Hunger and Poverty through agricultural and natural resource development and Interfaith Peace.
• You are a college or university interested in sending interns, program participants for January source trips, alternative Spring break experiences, or study tours to AAII to learn about Islam and Senegalese culture while engaged in community development activities.
• You are a technical assistance provider and would like to assist AAII as a partner organization.
• You are a fiscal sponsor interested in supporting a community development project in West Africa.
• You are an elementary or high school teacher interested in volunteering to teach English, Mathematics and/or Computer Literacy in an AAII school.
• You are a physician, physician’s assistant, midwife, nurse, dentist or other health care provider interested in volunteering in AAII’s clinics.

Thank you for considering an opportunity to partner with AAII. For more information, please contact us.

AAII VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Volunteers are essential to the success of AAII’s Education and Health Care programs. AAII’s Volunteers come from countries throughout the world, many of whom return annually and stay anywhere from two weeks to a year. Volunteers are needed in the following service areas:

HEALTH CARE: To work in AAII’s Shifa-al-Asqam Socio Medical Center clinics in Medina-Baye and Kossi-Atlanta, Senegal.

• Physicians
• Nurses
• Midwives
• Dentists
• Physicians Assistants
• Nurse Practitioners
• Physical Therapists

Volunteers are necessary to assure primary and reproductive health care throughout the year in both clinic locations.

EDUCATION: To teach in AAII schools in Medina-Kaolack and Kossi-Atlanta, Senegal.

• Elementary Level Teachers
• High School Level Teachers of English, Mathematics
• Computer Literacy Teachers
• English As A Second Language Teachers

Volunteers provide their own airfare. AAII provides basic accommodations. If you are interested in volunteering with AAII, please contact us with your educational background, work experience, volunteer experience (if any), special interests, anticipated duration of volunteer service and a brief statement of what you hope to contribute and what you expect to derive from your experience as a volunteer.