Board of directors of ACCoCA

 

 

Biography

Zainab has been the founder and executive director of the African Caribbean Centre of CA. since June 8, 2022, registered as the Societies Act with the Alberta government.

She is currently working as executive director for the organization. She writes proposals for programs and projects for our upcoming 1st Afro Caribbean Fest Multicultural at Ross St between 50th Ave and 49th, Ross St Patio and Veterans Park, From Aug 12th to 13th, 2023. She recruits subcommittees, performers, and volunteers and brings partners from various industries.

 ACCOCA accomplished the 1st Afro-Caribbean Cultural Event in Nov 2022, which raised enough to open our office and staff salaries. She makes samosas with seniors and youth, the most isolated groups since the Pandemic.

ACCoCA reached a significant milestone from The City of Red Deer, providing three years of Community Development grants from 2023 to 2026 for the Afro-Caribbean Fest.

Also, another milestone from Red Deer, District & Community Foundation, who recently gave us funding for one-year mentorship, soft skills, and leadership training for black women, girls & gender diverse.  

 Zainab is very grateful for the community support. She hopes to help the African Caribbean population in Central Alberta through the multiculturalist festival yearly in Red Deer. Also, cultural events throughout the year and provide programs and services.

Zainab has a child assistance certificate, a social work diploma, and a sociology degree.

Zainab received recognition and award through her work and volunteerism over the years, including the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal, Paul Harrier Fellow, the Community Leader of the Year, the RDP Student Recognition Award, the Diversity Friends Award, the Recognition of Women of Excellence, the Soroptimist Ruby Award & the daughter of the Year Award.

Zainab is a visionary leader who has worked hard to raise funds with the help of a hundred volunteers so that she can build a school in Somalia completed in 2015. Currently, the school has over 100 students enrolled. Her motivation for founding a school was because she lived there (post-1990 war). She needed help to get an education opportunity. She made it her mission to make a difference and do her best to ensure that the next generation of children would not encounter the same problem. As of right now, the school is currently teaching grades 1 through 8.

Zainab is now determined to have a residence built on the same site so that these children will have a safe place to call home while they attend school. She travels in Canada, the US, and Europe for his mission to raise funds for the project. 

Zainab fundraised for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation’s “CIBC Run for the Cure 2013”. She was instrumental in CAIWA winning an award; for the “Most Challenged Fund Raising.

She was the team captain and recruited three teams, each with 10 to 15 participants, who also raised funds for the effort.

Zainab was team captain of “CIBC Run for the Cure2014,” where she recruited two teams to raise funds for the cause.

 She was the Batting Against Breast Cancer Slo-Pitch Tournament team captain in 2014. She recruited volunteers & recruited two teams whose participants also raised funds for the effort. Zainab also was the second top individual fundraiser, and she got recognition from the CBCF.

She is a board member of community service director with Sunrise Rotary Club. She has volunteered with many charities and ambassadress Diversity Magazine since 2018.