SEWA-AIFW INC
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Mission Statement
SEWA-AIFW is a nonprofit organization committed to serving, supporting, and enhancing family wellness for the South Asian community, especially the vulnerable and underserved, in the Twin Cities and around Minnesota, by providing health care access and wellness information and resources; access to family violence resources and supports; and elder socialization activities. 2.3 Guiding Principles 1. Serving the vulnerable and underserved population 2. Delivering services as the needs arise – being responsive to the community 3. Providing culturally-responsive services 4. Practicing inclusivity 5. Promoting gender equity 6. Collaborating 7. Valuing strength in diversity
About This Cause
SEWA serves a community with origins in 7 Asian countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka). It is a challenge to directly survey the ethnic populations in the community. Data from the 2015-2023 MN Dept of Education report on languages spoken in the home reported 8,173 students spoke a South Asian language; 97% of these students live in the seven-county metro area. Between 2000 and 2010, the South Asian population in Minnesota doubled. The 2010 Census recorded a total South Asian population just over 92,000. The significant growth of the South Asian population continues. According to the 2014 American Community Survey (ACS), Asian Indians (alone) are the second largest Asian population in Minnesota, numbering 54000. The most common languages, other than English, spoken by South Asians in the United States are Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi,Persian Telegu, Nepalese, Karen, and Urdu. Local estimates are that 82,000 - 92,000 South Asians live in MN. The majority (75%) of South Asians in the United States are foreign-born. The immigration status of South Asian individuals is varied from spousal visas to U.S. citizenship. There have been a wide variety of resettlement experiences for South Asian immigrants to the U.S.in the different waves of migration from the 1890s to the 2000s. Additionally, work skills varied greatly in each wave. Though there are many who enjoy success, others with limited language or work skills, or those who are elderly have not had great success. Currently 7.8% of the South Asian community in Minnesota lives in poverty. The diversity within the South Asian community presents challenges of differing languages and the limited availability of culture/language specific services. A lack of service providers who understand cultural proscriptions related to issues like food consumption or gender relationships. Project SAHAT found the three most cited barriers to seeking medical care were: inability to navigate the system or don’t understand what services are covered (18%); health care providers do not understand South Asian culture (8%); lack health insurance (6%). Chronic health conditions (diabetes and heart disease) and mental health issues are prevalent in the community as its members are transitioning from cultural traditions of the country where they were born to the cultural norms of the United States. These transitions and changing norms affect family/marital relationships, health and wellness, economic wellbeing, and social interactions. A huge challenge for the community is helping its members to understand how centuries old cultural practices and behaviors need to change to eliminate the conditions that create violence and specifically domestic violence. The mindsets and roles of men and women will both need to change as men recognize and respect the value of women, and women are in a better position to achieve their full potential Previous Fiscal Year Financials Year-to-Date Financials and Annual Budget for the Current Fiscal Year Balance Sheet Information Narrative and wellness. Family values are being challenged related to the concept of “shame” and practice of shaming. The opportunity is that since 2004 SEWA has worked diligently to create systems change. The organization has developed a network of South Asian medical professionals that creates access to health care for the insured and by working with their employer’s/associates to provide pro bono/charity care to individuals who do not have health insurance. SEWA is providing a monthly health clinic in three religious organizations’ space. Men are now serving on SEWA’s board of directors. South Asians are recognized and included in research projects on the Asian community in Minnesota. A network of survivors of domestic violence, community members and health professionals has come together to work at the community level to directly address change in the legacy culture that creates violence in families and develop new community norms. LGBTQ+ communities needs. SEWA’s work to-date has built a network of individuals who are committed to total wellness within the Twin Cities Metro South Asian community. SEWA has been able to increase its funding to work with members of the South Asian community, yet, flexibility is needed to address immediate needs of families, emerging issues and organizational challenges. 2. Proposed work. Describe the specific work and activities you propose and how they will move your community forward in ways that complement the Trust's vision of healthy, vibrant communities as places where basic needs are met, mutual regard is prized and opportunities for economic, civic and social participation are within everyone's reach. Proposed Work SEWA is focused on improving social determinants of health, promoting health and wellness for all generations in the South Asian community through two program areas and to work at the environmental and policy level on issues of concern to the community. The Healthy Families program: Reduces violence within the community through direct support to individuals/families experiencing violence and through education for victims/ survivors, community members and professionals. The Health Initiative: Improves wellness and promotes healing through health clinics, senior and youth activities. Free health clinics held in three locations, reach over 100 individuals each month. They provide 1) primary screenings, such as glucose testing; 2) ECG screenings with a cardiologist volunteer; 3) consultations to help individuals understand the result of the tests and also to provide nutrition counseling; and 4) referrals to health care professionals who understand the culture and language of the individual seeking services. If a patient is not insured, many health care professionals to whom patients are referred, provide low‐cost or “charity care”. Supports girl’s leadership activities, and a youth soccer program for boys and girls. Provides assistance to the youth’s families as needs are identified. Engages seniors in educational and social activities, and provides transportation to the free health clinics and other locations. SEWA recognizes that total wellness cannot be achieved unless community members have basic needs met - food, shelter, clothing, health care. As SEWA has increased its programs, the needs that families face that fall in gaps between program services become more apparent. SEWA is working ot maintain and improve its general operations, so that it will operate more effectively and maintain flexibility to provide creative solutions and services, to address individual needs. To ensure that individuals and families in the South Asian community with limited resources are able to feed their family, find shelter and create a stable environment for their family, so adults can find and maintain work, children can be safe and continue their education, and seniors have a place to stay, food, social activities. As the community moves toward total family wellness, there is an immediate need to provide support to individuals and families that are facing a situation where their journey toward wellness is disrupted and extra help with basic needs is required to provide stability in the short term so the journey can continue. SEWA assists individuals from youth to seniors when they are experiencing a shortage of food, a lack of medical care, transitions in living, and need for relief from violence in the home. As SEWA supports short-term needs, it continues to work at the community level to eliminate violence and change norms to bring “total wellness” to the community. The two-pronged approach works from the ground up with individual and families making change, and at the same time from the top down to change norms in the community. Addressing issues from both directions at the same time, provides support for individuals/ families who are working to change values and behaviors about behaviors in relationships, for seniors about choosing healthier foods to manage diabetes, and for youth to choose education and positive leadership, while living in a community that has for centuries lived with a different set of values and behaviors. At the same time, every individual and family that makes conscious decisions to change behaviors, contributes to a change in mindset and values for the community as-a-whole. SEWA works at multiple levels, individual, family, organization and community to create a community with values that can lead to total wellness for everyone. 3. Impact. How will you define and evaluate the success of your work? How will you share your results and lessons with the community and others? Impact SEWA is committed to working in the South Asian community to achieve total family wellness. The organization tracks and measures short-term accomplishments, but remains focused on the long-term outcomes. Each program has specific program goals and outcomes. Measures include both qualitative and quantitative measures. The success of each program is reported to the community each year. The success of the organization is measured in progress toward organizational goals. These measures include: number of community members served; increases in culturally appropriate services or decreases in the need for a service; changes in community attitudes and behaviors; increased knowledge in mainstream entities about the South Asian community and SEWA’s accomplishments, which is often recognized through speaking engagements and awards. Organizational goals are longer-term and require some retrospective analysis to identify change and progress. For example, for 18years SEWA has worked on the issue of domestic violence in the South Asian community since 2018, a group of South Asian individuals asked SEWA to work with them at the community level to address the legacy culture that leads to violence in relationships. This is an indicator of success, when former clients become leaders, willing to share stories with the community that provide an example of how change can occur in a relationship or family.