Naath Community Association Of Edmonton

We are a non-profit organization operating in Edmonton, Calgary, and other major cities in Canada and beyond. We came into existence as an organization three years ago when the need was felt by Sudanese community and other minority communities to engage children in school related activities. As a result of this, more homework centres were created to aid children whose parents find it difficult to read and write. Our network of volunteers is now helping children and adult learners by engaging them in doing their homework and as a partner in development; our mission has stated it clearly that “Sudanese Canadian Naath Association was formed in 2006 and officially registered in June 2007 in Canada. The association is non profit and it helps in enabling immigrant youths adapt to their new Diaspora environment – Canada through recreational activities. The objective of this Association is to create time and space for ongoing learning opportunities that influence a shift in how supports are provided to the immigrant youths, and to offer equal treatment with emphasis to the most vulnerable.”

Our objectives are but not limited to homework support, mentorship, computer skills, basketball, volleyball, swimming and hockey. Other activities include performances such as cultural dances, organizing tour to libraries and to improve reading skills.

Youth and Drug Addictions: Our concern has been felt recently when we became actively involved in helping youngsters who have dropped out of school as a result of alcohol and drug addictions. As an organization dedicated to helping youths, we are overly concern about their progress at learning centres and we are taking a step to mentor to them on one by one basis. It is our prediction based on the current that these youths cannot succeed in learning without being guarded intensely by parents, guardians and school counsellors because of their motivation to drug and alcohol consumption beyond normal range.

RECOVERY AND ADDICTIONS organization has outlined a series of problems affecting youths and adults alike in using drugs such as alcohol, Khat, cocaine, ecstasy, hallucinogens, heroin, marijuana, methadone, prescription narcotics, stimulants, inhalants, solvents or glue, and other drugs like benzodiazepines, and barbiturates. All these drugs are deadly and they are accompanied by severe symptoms that can kill the drive for success in both youths and adults learners alike.

As articulated by ADDICTIONS AND RECOVERY, they are associated to psychological and physical symptoms such as anxiety, restlessness, irritability, insomnia, headaches, poor concentration, depression, sweating, racing heart, palpitation, and muscle tension, tightness in the chest, difficulty breathing, tremor, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea. Other acute and severe symptoms as outlined would be delirium tremens, heart attack, strokes, hallucinations, convulsions, comma, and death.

Youths and crimes: Latest trends in developing stories have indicated that most teenagers and adult drug users have been involved in crimes that are mainly of street nature or with links to domestic problems. During the last three years of our active involvement in community as an organization, we witnessed more arrests among Sudanese youths and other immigrant communities as a result of substance possession and distribution, theft, vandalism-just to mention a few plus other outlawing activities. Youths with addiction problems, according to acde.org, have become behaviourally maladjusted to:

1. Changes in friends; new hang-outs; sudden avoidance of old crowd; doesn’t want to talk about new friends; friends are known drug users.
2. Change in activities or hobbies.
3. Drop in grades at school or performance at work; skips school or is late for school.
4. Change in habits at home; loss of interest in family and family activities.
5. Difficulty in paying attention; forgetfulness.
6. General lack of motivation, energy, self-esteem, "I don’t care" attitude.
7. Sudden oversensitivity, temper tantrums, or resentful behaviour.
8. Moodiness, irritability, or nervousness.
9. Silliness or giddiness.
10. Paranoia
11. Excessive need for privacy; unreachable.
12. Secretive or suspicious behaviour.
13. Car accidents.
14. Chronic dishonesty.
15. Unexplained need for money, stealing money or items.
16. Change in personal grooming habits.
17. Possession of drug paraphernalia

Youths and health issues: Youths are at high risks for infections nowadays than in the past three years when we initially begin our operations as an organization. Activities like sharing of needles, germ infections through sharing of cigarette butts, lack of dental, physical hygiene, poor bodily management and ignorance are all blamed on drug activities.

Role of Naath Association of Edmonton: As an organization with intended focus to help our youths and adult learners, our role is centred in partnering with other community agencies to create awareness for youths in Diaspora and at home in Sudan. It is our hope that we can create motivation for success in youths and adult learners with special needs. We encourage all Sudanese youths abroad and in all the ten states of South Sudan to engage their times and energies to activities of success. To gain access to our site click on www.naathcanada.ca and read some of our interesting activities. Our strategic future plans are to move our field offices to Malakal, Juba, Wau and other states in South Sudan.

Both Chuol Wel
President of Naath Community of Edmonton
boshwel@hotmail.com or 1-780-242-2064