This document discusses health challenges faced by people of African ancestry globally and provides recommendations to improve health. It notes discrimination leads to inadequate healthcare for many in the African diaspora. Specific groups like Black Americans, Black people in the UK, and Afro populations in countries like Ecuador face higher poverty rates. Children in these communities are especially vulnerable. The document ends by providing 12 pointers for individual and community action to promote health, including developing self-knowledge, prioritizing family and community, avoiding stress, thinking critically, having a personal health plan, and adapting to change.

1. Challenges for our health
The Nurses Association of Jamaica (UK)
20th
October 2007
Cashain David
Ujima Health & Social Care

2. • People of visible African ancestry
across the globe share a common
destiny of experiencing discrimination
resulting in inadequate health

3. Images from the Diaspora
“Diaspora” is a biblical concept
traditionally employed to describe
the forced dispersion of Jews
amongst the Gentiles

4. South Africa or Mexico ?

5. St Croix or Comunbia ?

6. Ecuador or South Africa ?

7. London or Copenhagen ?

8. Haiti or America ?

9. Brazil or Sudan ?

10. London or Prague ?

11. Italy or Grenada ?

12. A repeating pattern
• Black Americans are still more likely to
be poorer than whites
• Black people in UK live in the poorest
areas
• Afro-Ecuadorians live in dire poverty
• Brazil’s Black populations concentrated
in largely urban areas (Favelas)

13. But what about the
youth/children ?

14. ‘The threat to children and children’s
(health) is not video violence, but lack of
culture among role models in society’
Bengt Gorransson, Swedish Minister for Culture, 1982

15. • Being amongst the the
most vulnerable
members of society,
children are dependant
on adults for their
cultural orientation and
role models and for
their health awareness
and care.

16. Health determinants
Genetics
Environment
Lifestyle
Service provision
• Challenge notions about inferiority
• Change approach to make impact on
causes
• Support insight and ability to choose
• Community knowledge to improve
access and experience

17. So what can we
do ?

18. If you want your eggs to
hatch, sit on them yourself.
Haitian proverb

19. 12 pointers to health Black life
•Clinicians / Practitioners
•Commissioning / planning
•Parents and members of the
community
Haki Madhabuti

20. 1. Self Knowledge
• The Ethiopian's say, ‘a
cat may go to a
monastery, but she still
remains a cat’
• The more a person
understands his or her
mind and body, the
less they will try to
destroy it.

21. 2. Be family orientated
• Every individual
needs loving people
in his or her life.
• People are shaped by
other people and
culture. We learn self-
love and self-worth in
functional families.

22. 3. Engage in Community life
• The major function of a
working community is
to make the lives of all
it’s residents liveable
and enjoyable.
• Like the trees of the
forest; when a
community fails the
residents are in
trouble.

23. 4. Avoid Stress
• Most people
worry too much
about things that
they cannot
change.
• Slow down.
• Seek quality
rather than
quantity

24. 5. Develop critical thinking
• It has become easier to
believe than think.
• people who think
critically about the world
are doers, problem
solvers.
• They are always looking
for better answers.

25. 6. Exercise discipline
• Knowing when to say no
and knowing ones own
limitations is critical to
self-discipline.
• Part of the discipline
process is to separate
desires from needs and
prioritise ones life

26. 7. Personal health plan
• Mind and body are connected; each person must
have a program that will keep him or her healthy.
• Walk when possible, cycle, swim, visit the gym, eat
with moderation

27. 8. Spiritual search
• Always seek the
answers to the
reasons for life. The
religion one
practices is not as
important as the
practice itself.
• Study all spiritual
paths.

28. 9. Cultural Interaction
• Become more
involved in our cultural
celebrations.
Kwaanza (Dec 26th -
Jan 1st), Martin Luther
King, Malcolm X and
Marcus Garvey
birthday celebrations.
•The major point is that all people, if they are
to be themselves, must be surrounded and
submersed in one’s own culture.

29. 10. Self reliance and ambition
• Become more self-reliant
in economics, politics
and education.
• Prepare your children to
start, operate and
succeed in their own
businesses.

30. 11. Be Creative
• Enjoy life and do what brings you happiness.
• If you do not have a hobby or art in which you
partake, think about learning something new.

31. 12. Adapting to Change
• The world is a far different world than it
was 100, 50 or 30 yrs ago.
• Learn to be adaptable to change, to see
change coming and initiate change.

32. Thank you
cashain.david@ujima.org.
uk
http://www.ujimagroup.org.uk/