Africa House is an umbrella organization founded six months ago to help bring local (northern Irish) African communities from different countries together. Participants were from the following African countries: South Africa, Zambia, Nigeria, Liberia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, the Congo, Somalia, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Mali, Liberia, SA, South Sudan and Sierra Leone. There were also participants from countries even further afield, including Brazil and Barbados.
Local participants included visitors from Northern Ireland’s higher education sector, public health sector and voluntary sector, in particular Suffolk Swifts, who provided funding for the food.
Children from differing countries, nationalities and religious faiths joined together to be treated to face painting, followed by an exploration of the natural world as found in the quadrangle outside of the College Hall in a mini-safari. The first to be fed, the children could be seen eagerly eating a wide range of interesting and tasty food while chatting together at their own tables in the College canteen.
The Chair of Africa House, Paul Njoroge, originally from Kenya, commented that:“Africa House has as its mission “to facilitate the positive integration of the African community within the local society”. Further to this, “Its intention is to build on the vibrancy of African social, cultural and economic life to present a confident and involved community which is active and developmental within the social, cultural and economic development of Northern Irish society.” Put simply, Africa seeks the development of a more inclusive and therefore more vibrant Northern Irish community.
Phillip Robinson from ACSONI welcoming the audience.
The Chair of Africa House (NI), Paul Njoroge