Albuquerque is known to be a melting pot of culture, religion, and individuality. It's a place where thousands of people throughout the country have sought out as a place of peace and tranquility; it has also been a place where people have come to for new beginnings. Over the last five years or so, various cultural communities have been on the rise, but one community that has been steadily increasing without so much as a blink is the African community. Within the last two or three years, a sizeable amount of African refugees have made their way into the United States, more specifically to Albuquerque.
And although there is and has been a strong African identity in Albuquerque for a while, it just became familiar and recognized in 2006. Guzzi Sinandile and her husband Lungile Sinandile, recently found out about the presence of Africans last year. Both Guzzi and her husband came to the United States from South Africa, and they have lived in Albuquerque for the last 13 years. For 13 years they never knew there was a growing African community, but now that they do, they have made it their business to build a cohesive African unit and use that as a safety net for any and all new coming refugees to the city.
Guzzi and her husband, Lungile, first came to the United States when Guzzi was accepted into the University of Michigan to study nursing. After her graduation, the two moved to Southern California where they resided for several years. After being in California for a while, they came to Albuquerque, where they have found solace ever since. Once learning of a semi-abundant group of people—here in Albuquerque—that could remind them of home, they were determined to get involved and create a family for an already existing community, and for those who would join in the future.
The Sinandile's have involved themselves through several different means, by joining and heading different organizations such as, 1) South African Duet Ministries, 2) F.A.A.N. - Friends and Allies of Africans Network, an independent organization, 3) Catholic Churches. Through the South African Duet Ministries, Guzzi and Lungile's objective is to provide African refugees with transportation to their homes and on necessary errands around the city because many of them don't have their own cars. They also have an African village feast which allows African refugees, neighboring Africans, and friends of Africans to come together to eat, socialize, and mingle with one another to build a stronger community. F.A.A.N. was developed to raise awareness of Africans in the Albuquerque community. F.A.A.N. helps to coordinate a volunteer workforce so that refugees can get engaged in the community as well as Catholic churches. As a supplement of the Catholic churches, refugees are able to learn English as a second language at Central New Mexico Community College. F.A.A.N. not only works with adults, the organization works with children as well.
It is currently in the process of constructing a youth development program so that children can learn and learn how to function independently of the adults surrounding them. It is clear that Guzzi and Lungile are deeply imbedded in the development of their community, but their involvement in community organizations is just the beginning.
While the Sinandile's are genuinely committed to the community's efforts to bringing in and comforting African refugees, they are also very personally dedicated. They aid in tutoring English to about 17 adults in their homes because not everyone can make it to CNM for classes. And before families arrive, Guzzi checks with the Catholic churches to confirm families' arrival dates so that she can cook and share a warm Afro-centric meal so that they can experience a sense of home while being so far away. Both Guzzi and Lungile visit them with appropriate food and medical supplies, and are constantly on call in case of emergencies.
If there is ever a medical emergency the couple is more than willing to provide transportation to the hospital and supply their company while in the waiting room. Between just two people, the gaps between the African refugees and Catholic churches are filled. To say Guzzi and Lungile are extraordinary is more than an understatement.
Within three to six months of coming to the United States, African families are expected to be self-sufficient, but that is not always the case. When such situations arise, the Sinandile's advocate for family issues, and see it through that both parties are happy. If families are not sufficient in the allotted amount of time, Guzzi approaches various charities and asks if they will help financially or provide a better orientation into the country and the city so that families can sustain on their own. Guzzi says, “They are a very resilient group of people. They need nurturing so that they can assimilate to this culture effectively,” and to do so everyone in the community has to come together and foster a kind and nurturing environment. Guzzi, her husband, and everyone else involved in comforting and cultivating African refugees into U.S. culture wants to make sure that their culture is respected through the outlook of the community.
Their ultimate goal is to help Albuquerque to know more about refugees and understand them so that they can make an effort to reach out and give them solace just as Guzzi and Lungile have found.
They are currently recruiting volunteers that can be trained at Central New Mexico Community College to help transition the African refugee families into the Albuquerque community. Most importantly, they are asking for donations of warm clothing for the winter season, i.e. coats, hats, gloves, pants, boots, tights (for women), sweaters, socks, thermals (long johns), etc… If you would like to get involved in any way or would just like to give a simple clothing donation please call Guzzi at 831-0469.