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La Femme Africaine-
The African Woman (LFA)
La Femme Africaine Inc. (LFA) is a non-profit corporation based in Georgia, incorporated in June 2006. We are committed to promoting women's health and well being, with a focus area of fostering Breast Cancer Awareness, by educating and empowering underprivileged and less informed women.
We are located in Norcross, Georgia - our geographical service areas include Gwinnett, Fulton, DeKalb and Cobb counties, which have high immigrant populations. As global migration grows, immigrant women shift geographic locations with their existing beliefs, and lack of awareness on diseases such as breast cancer. This apparent “blissful” ignorance often leads to unnecessary degenerative battles with breast cancer and unfortunate, but often preventable deaths.
Regrettably, the cancer burden is unequal and it disproportionately affects African American women, includes all women of African descent - i.e. people whose ancestors were brought involuntarily to the US in the 1800s, as well as recent immigrants from other countries. (Per: US Census Bureau), who on average develop cancer 10 years earlier than white women.
Research has shown that many factors contribute to the disparity, and raising awareness may be a first step in reversing this trend. The underprivileged immigrant woman is often at a further disadvantage - that of a language, cultural and literary barrier. Programs like ours will help provide them the only opportunity they may ever have to access much needed education and healthcare that could mean the difference between life and death, by stimulating paradigm shifts.
Often the gap in educating our target community is in shortage of adequate, targeted communication efforts, limited awareness campaigns and existing cultural reservations about certain ailments.
Our programs are very humble and modest attempts at shifting this paradigm, by committing to raising breast cancer awareness, which is a global issue, and ultimately showing the impact made as a result of our programs. The goal is to use La Femme Africaine as a medium for immigrant women, to honor and cherish themselves, and to be confident to seek necessary education and healthcare that will mitigate the surge of breast cancer.
Mission:
“Empower women via educational and awareness building initiatives, largely targeting women of African descent”.
Vision:
Develop and empower African women in the Diaspora, with the foresight of enabling them to better represent and rebuild Africa's global image - and to ultimately apply their experiences to the development of our women in Africa.
We seek to impact lives of individuals in our community via our global awareness programs and activities.
Current Programs
Breast Cancer Awareness Initiatives:
Leading up to the incorporation of La Femme Africaine in 2006, our board members have been involved in various independent and collaborative activities to foster Breast Cancer Awareness, and continue to do so.
· American Cancer Society “Relay for Life” – 1999 to date
· American Cancer Society “Tell a Friend” – 2002
· Nattie's “The Inaugural Atlanta NaijahFest: A West African Celebration Fostering Breast Cancer Awareness” - October 2005
· American Cancer Society: Mission Delivery Leadership Institute - November 2005
· “Nattie's Quest”: Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure - May 2006
· American Cancer Society’s "Volunteer Leadership Summit" 2006, 2007
· La Femme Africaine Annual PinkFest®: October, in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and to raise funds for
our program administration. Launched - 2006
· La Femme Africaine Annual PinkWalk®: May, continue to foster breast cancer awareness and raise funds. Launched - 2007
· La Femme Africaine “Think Pink” initiative: Ongoing provision of education, counseling and resources for Breast Cancer
care within identified help needed areas of Gwinnett, DeKalb, Fulton and Cobb counties (areas with high immigrant population).
Programs In Development - Seminars and Research:
As our breast cancer awareness programs resonate within the community, we can direct our efforts in other areas to enhance breast cancer research and advocacy, and also administer various programs for overall feminine empowerment as indicated below.
· African Baseline Study (Breast Cancer Incidences) and awareness campaign
· Breast Cancer Advocacy
· Public Health and Policies
· Healthy Lifestyle Choices
· Cultural Etiquettes
· Public Speaking and Leadership Development
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