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Note: This document is from the archive of the Africa Policy E-Journal, published
by the Africa Policy Information Center (APIC) from 1995 to 2001 and by Africa Action
from 2001 to 2003. APIC was merged into Africa Action in 2001. Please note that many outdated links in this archived
document may not work.
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Africa: African Americans for Aid to Africa
Any links to other sites in this file from 1995 are not clickable,
given the difficulty in maintaining up-to-date links in old files.
However, we hope they may still provide leads for your research.
Africa: African Americans for Aid to Africa
Date Distributed (ymd): 950517
National Phone Day
May 25, 1995: African Freedom Day
On this thousands of concerned Americans will call their
members of Congress and the chairs of the Foreign Operations
Subcommittees, Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and
Representative Sonny Callahan (R-AL) to send this message:
* Retain the Development Fund for Africa (DFA) and fund it at
1995's $802 million level. The DFA is the funding mechanism
which assures that aid to Africa supports sustainable
development and poverty alleviation projects.
* Maintain the African Development Foundation (ADF) at its
current level of $17 million. The ADF is a government
organization which is mandated to support small community-
based development efforts and African scholars researching
grassroots development issues.
* Oppose merging development programs into the State
Department; such a merger further politicizes the aid process.
President Clinton has included $802 million in funding for
Africa in his budget proposal--this amounts to only $3 a year
per U.S. household! Despite this inadequate amount Capitol
Hill's conservative majority is determined to see it further
reduced.
Reach your Member of Congress by calling the Capitol
Switchboard at: (202) 224-3121.
The numbers for the Foreign Operations Chairmen are:
Senator McConnell: (202) 224-2541
Representative Callahan: (202) 225-4931
If you are only able to place one phone call, please
prioritize a Foreign Operations Chairman.
This project is sponsored by African Americans for Aid to
Africa c/o the Washington Office on Africa, 110 Maryland Ave.
N.E., Suite 112, Washington, DC 20002.
WHAT YOU CAN DO!
* Participate in the National Phone Day! May 25 has been
identified as National Phone Day. On this day thousands of
Americans will be calling their Members of Congress with one
simple message: "Don't cut assistance for poor people in the
U.S. and Africa. Retain the Development Fund for Africa and
fund it at 1995's $802 million level."
* Write. Write a letter to your legislator. As a voter your
letter carries tremendous weight.
* Encourage organizations, for example churches and social
justice and civil rights groups, and individuals in your
community to also write letters to save aid to Africa.
* Hold a public Forum or Teach-in to orient and educate people
about the provisions of legislative proposals that would
undermine African and American poverty alleviation efforts.
* Develop a Speakers Bureau to send people to churches,
community based organizations, colleges and university groups.
There are many in your area, including you, who are able to
speak knowledgeably on these issues. Contact them and arrange
for them to speak.
If necessary, contact any of the resource organizations for
speakers.
* Network with others in your community who are lobbying for
deep cuts in the military budget and reforming the structure
of U.S. foreign assistance policy. Mobilize with those
organizations and invite them to join your advocacy efforts.
* Consider the use of direct action campaigns, including civil
disobedience, to save benefits for those who need them, both
at home and abroad.
* Contact local media to cover your activities and the view of
your organization.
Encourage local media to report on Africa and other areas of
interest to your community.
Write an opinion editorial explaining how you feel about the
attempts to cut aid to Africa. Contact the editor of the
opinion page for instructions for submitting your editorial.
* Fell free to contact resource organizations or agencies to
assist you with the Save Aid to Africa campaign.
Organizational Resource List
For information on Africa and Congress's anti-Africa agenda
contact:
American Committee on Africa
17 John St.
New York, NY 10038
Phone: (212) 962-1210
Fax: (212) 964-8570
Contact Person: Dumasani Kumalo
Bread for the World
1100 Wayne Ave., Suite 1000
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Phone: (301) 608-2400
Fax: (301) 608-2401
Contact Person: Sharon Pauling
TransAfrica
1744 R St. NW
Washington, DC 20009
Phone: (202) 797-2301
Fax: (202) 797-2382
Contact Person: Maryse Mills
United Methodist Church* GBCS
110 Maryland Ave., NE
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: (202) 488-5645
Fax: (202) 488-5639
Contact Person: Mark W. Harrison
* organization listed for identification purpose only
The Washington Office on Africa
110 Maryland Ave. NE, Suite 112
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: (202) 546-7961
Fax: (202) 546-1545
The following organizations can be contacted for information
to support your efforts:
American Friends Service Committee
1501 Cherry St.
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Phone: (202) 241-7179
Center for Democratic Renewal
P.O. Box 5046
Atlanta, GA 30302
Phone: (404) 221-0025
Center for Constitutional Rights
666 Broadway, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10012
Phone: (212) 614-6422
Break the Contract Hotline: 800-764-0235
Greenpeace Fund
1436 U St. NW
Washington, DC 20009
Phone: (202) 232-1590
NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund
1275 K St. NW, #301
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: (202) 682-1300
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This material is made available by the Washington
Office on Africa (WOA). WOA is a not-for-profit
church, trade union and civil rights group supported
organization that works with Congress on Africa-related
legislation.
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