Janet Sannah, a second-year Sociology major, has taken the concept of “society,” and turned it into a hands-on application.
Janet is the newly appointed Director of Youth for the New Brunswick African Association (NBAA), and she has big plans for the future of the program. She, alongside select other youth, have replaced their older counterparts, and intend to breathe new life into the community that has been in decline in recent years.
During her time in the position, she plans to make as much change as possible to ensure that not only those Africans who are here, but those who come in the future don’t have to go through the same struggles she went through. She hopes to make coming to Canada a much easier process for many.
For Janet, feeling accepted in a completely new country and culture was hard to do at first. She found it hard to fit in and be comfortable, especially in school.
Getting integrated, and finding someone to teach you the things you won’t know through simple observation is a must, she believes. Through the NBAA she plans to bring the youth (and their families) here in Fredericton together in order to form a support network where no one has to feel like an outsider.
Much like herself, “A lot of Africans come here and don’t know anything; this [program] will give them the resources they need to get involved.”
One current problem she sees is that many Africans here are not united in the way they should be. That may be because they don’t know where to go to in order to find some much-needed community support. The NBAA is that place, and the improvements she has laid out for the next few months will help bring the community back together!
These improvements include working with youth and mothers specifically. Many mothers come here as single parents and just don’t have time for themselves. Over the past few weeks she has been planning an event for mothers to relax, eat, drink and enjoy a few hours away from their children. She’s also factored in activities for the children to do while their mothers take a well-deserved break.
On the schedule for youth specifically are monthly get-togethers. It’s a great opportunity for them to come together and dance and sing (two of the most defining aspects of African culture), learn, and get to know the more about the Canadian culture around them. For these activities, all are welcome, not just those within the African community.
Janet intends to bring the African society together in a way that hasn’t been done in the past to ensure long-lasting bonds within the African-Canadian community. She admits, “Coming to Canada was a mind-blowing experience, but there aren’t a lot of activities that connect me back home [Nigeria], and that’s something I never want to lose.”
Through the NBAA no one will have to give up their African roots to feel accepted. Instead, they can continue to embrace who they are and where they come from while experiencing Canadian culture.