Roza Promotions, Inc.
Program Objectives and Unique
Needs Addressed
Roza Promotions, Inc. vigorously advocates for and provides
culturally appropriate counseling, education, and information
to African immigrants and refugees. The program largely serves
Liberians, as well as Sierra Leoneans, Ghanaians, and Guineans.
The program focuses on disadvantaged children of African descent
living primarily in Staten Island, as well as other parts
of New York City.
In the early to mid 1990s, large numbers of West African
refugees were resettled in Staten Island. Many of the new
arrivals lacked previous formal education and, according to
the schools, approximately 85% of the refugee children in
the area were functioning below their grade level, leading
to academic frustration and a risk of youth problem behaviors.
Building on an NYU Trauma Center study, a community needs
assessment, and the observations of Mr. Rufus Arkoi, a Liberian
community leader in Staten Island and future director of Roza
Promotions, Inc., Mr. Arkoi developed after-school programs
for refugee children and youth on Staten Island. The goals
were to keep the youth off the streets, teach them good citizenship,
and to help them succeed academically and socially. Mr. Arkoi
modeled this program on a successful youth soccer program
he developed in Liberia in 1981. Again using his soccer skills,
he created Roza Promotions, Inc. and helped the refugee community
in Staten Island. Roza, an African word meaning ‘survivor’
(as well as an acronym for Mr. Arkoi’s own name), accurately
describes the program’s aim of serving child and youth
survivors of war.
Program Description
Currently, Roza Promotions, Inc. offers refugee children and
youth educational programs to help them succeed in school,
sports and recreation programs to offer them positive alternatives
to life in the streets, and summer programs.
Educational Programs
Roza Promotions, Inc. provides refugee youth with after-school
tutorial and homework assistance. The program helps youth
prepare for college entrance exams or study for their GED
and teaches youth computer literacy. Furthermore, Roza Promotions,
Inc. helps refugee youth prepare their resume, gives them
interviewing tips, and helps with overall job readiness. Typically,
the youth arrive at the African Community Center after school
around 3:30pm, where they focus primarily on homework completion
and reading practice, after which they are allowed time on
the computers and the Internet.
Sports and Recreation Program: Boys and Girls Soccer
Team
In 1995, Mr. Arkoi started a soccer program for local African
immigrants and refugees as a part of Roza Promotions Inc.
The soccer program began with one team, the Park Hill Rangers,
and has since expaned to include: an under-19 program, the
Roza Rangers; two under-14 teams, the Roza Lions (boys) and
Roza Angels (girls); and the under -10 team, the Roza Tigers.
The teams are registered in two soccer leagues: the Cosmopolitan
Junior Soccer League (city wide) and the Staten Island Soccer
League (Island only), which run from September to June each
year. Additionally, children take field trips to area sporting
events and attractions, such as Yankees’ or Mets’
games, or to theme parks, such as Great Adventure. In addition,
the sports and recreation component of Roza Promotions, Inc.
includes organized recreation at PS 57, the neighborhood public
school. Through the program, refugee children and youth are
exposed to multiple sports including volleyball, basketball,
touch football, kickball, and double-dutch jumprope.
Summer Programs
In addition to year round academic and sports and recreation
programs, summer programs are also conducted for the community
by Roza Promotions, Inc. The summer programs offer children
sports as well as community, cultural, and educational activities.
Summer sports teams, such as soccer and kickball, are added
for college students age 18 and above, in addition to the
teams for youth and children. During the 2nd weekend in August,
Roza hosts “The African Cup of Nations” on Staten
Island. Various West African communities participate in this
soccer tournament.
A central aspect to the summer programs are the events Roza
Promotions, Inc. arranges to facilitate the social interaction
between the African refugee community in Staten Island and
other communities around the USA. Many programs encourage
interaction with other Liberian or Sierra Leonean youth, in
addition to activities in which the youth interact with and
compete against youth from other diverse cultures.
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Materials Used in Program
Space:
- The African Community Center provides Roza Promotions,
Inc. with space for many of its programs, including its
after school programs.
- The sports and recreation programs operate in conjunction
with PS 57, the neighborhood public school.
- Local public parks are utilized for soccer games
and practices.
- The program director’s house is used frequently
for gatherings
Transportation:
- Roza Promotions, Inc. has two 15 passenger vans.
- Mr. Arkoi and the other staff frequently use their
own cars to transport the children.
Supplies:
- Paper, pens, books, and computers
- Uniforms (for games), balls, sports aprons (for
practice), shoes, cones, jumping rope.
Groups Served by Program
The program serves the Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugee
communities of Staten Island, predominately in Stapleton and
Clifton. Approximately 70 children participate in the educational
programs and over 135 boys and 60 girls participate in the
sports and recreation programs.
In addition, Roza Promotions, Inc. opened an office in Minnesota
in 2002, where it also serves Liberian refugee children and
youth. There are approximately 220 youth participating in
the sports and recreation programs in Minnesota.
Funding
Roza Promotions, Inc. has been awarded funding over the past
10 years by the Staten Island councilmen, as well as receiving
various grants in certain years from the Office of Refugee
Resettlement (1999-2000) and the New York Foundation. Roza
Promotions, Inc. is also made possible through private donations
and community fundraisers. There remains an ongoing and critical
need for additional funding.
Staffing and Required Staff
Training
Three part-time staff manage the programs of Roza Promotions,
Inc. including an Executive Director, Sports Director, and
a Treasurer. The programs also function with the help of various
volunteers. Previously, the staff and board received training
from the Community
Resource Exchange, which is a nonprofit consulting firm
that provides technical assistance to organizations in New
York City that fight poverty.
Program Evaluation
Participants in the programs have been given questionnaires
to fill out in order to evaluate the services provided. Roza
Promotions, Inc. also evaluates its success by frequently
speaking one-on-one with the program participants. The director
creates relationships with each youth in the program by interacting
with them daily, attending their sport games, and attending
important events, such as commencements. In this way, Roza
Promotions is able to track how well youth in this program
are doing on their sports teams, in schools, and after graduation.
Additionally, the program continues to attract a steady, high
number of participants in the programs.
Program Outcomes
- Approximately 97% of the refugee youth that participated
in the soccer program have graduated from high school.
- At least 24 young people have gotten full college
scholarships based on their athletic talents that Roza Promotions,
Inc. helped to develop.
- Six players have earned a GED while participating
in the tutoring program.
- Roza Promotions works closely with the police in
their area. The New York police state that crime has reduced
by more then 45% in the community since 1999.
- Due to the relationship that has developed between
Roza Promotions, Inc. and the New York City Police Department,
Roza Promotions, Inc. currently provides cultural sensitivity
training for new police officers.
- Soccer players trained by Roza Promotions, Inc.
were among the top five players in New York City for the
last eight years.
- In 1996, Roza Promotion, Inc.’s under-19
soccer team won the state-wide championship.
Program Contacts
Roza Promotions, Inc.
135 Arnold Street
Staten Island, NY 10301
Rufus Zomo Arkoi, Executive Director
rozapro@aol.com
917-365-7903
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Coordinator: George Harris
763-443-2488
rozafc@yahoo.com
Program Dates
Roza Promotions Inc. began in Liberia in 1981 and in the United
States, on Staten Island, in 1994. It is still operating year
round as of May 2007. |
