Sauti-Yetu Center for African Women
Zeinab Eyega, Founder
Sauti Yetu Center for African Women (SYCAW) was established in 2004 to empower women to better utilize the socio-cultural, structural and institutional systems of civil society to advocate for, exercise and protect their rights.î ìSauti Yetuî means ìour voicesî in Swahili and through outreach, advocacy, training, information dissemination and capacity building, the organization seeks to prevent and respond to gender-based violence. SYCAW’s approach incorporates issues of gender, race, religion, ethnicity and citizenship as interdependent and salient features of women’s lives and experience.
SYCAW provides varied services to the African community. Its family violence prevention program approaches the issue as a family and community concern and offers women culturally appropriate and gender specific counseling, crisis intervention, referrals to housing, and legal consultations on marriage and immigration issues. SYCAW also provides seminars on human rights, and reproductive health, female circumcision and assists with accessing medical care, public benefits and other services.
SYCAW serves as a liaison to existing social service providers. It conducts training sessions with law enforcement, government and private agencies regarding the needs of the African community and works with community leaders and representatives of African radio, newspapers and magazines to ensure coverage of issues affecting African immigrant women. SYCAW’s work is multi-leveled, connecting social justice activism with scholarship to advocate for women’s rights.