The Full Story

Vulnerable’s Voices (V&V) started in 2023 as a 501C3 non-profit organization, established for  supporting individuals  who are facing barriers related to food access, housing insecurity, disability, and social isolation. Our mission centers on creating inclusive opportunities that promote dignity, connection and community well-being, particularly for those who are often underserved or overlooked. many of individuals we serve, are refugees who were legally resettled to United State of America after fleeing their countries of origin due to fear of persecution, war, violence or human rights violations based on race, religion, nationality and political opinion.
The initiative began when refugees from Congolese Community who are majority living in the city of Cleveland Ohio and Buffalo NY asked Omari Etando ,Pela Abumba and Dieudonne Simbi to help them find access to farmland in both Cleveland OH, and Buffalo NY. Many Congolese Refugees are originally from rural places where farming is their backbone activity and their source of income. In Addition, their health is impacted by inability to access the fresh vegetables that are traditionally eaten in their cultures. Farming has a lot of benefits for refugees. The fact of cultivating helps them to practice exercise and prevent them from getting diseases such as high blood sugar, high blood pressure, high cholesterol which can lead to diabetes, heart attack and stroke. Their love of farming and the passion for cultivation enable them to get rid of stress and traumatism caused by the persecutions they faced in their countries of origin. Our expectations rely on transitioning farmers (incubator farming) with affordable access to land, infrastructure, offering mentorship, technical assistance, market access, reducing the barriers to entry for sustainable farming and training to launch or expand their agricultural businesses.

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