Marshallese Educational Initiative Inc


 

About

COVID-19 RESPONSE: MEI is currently accepting donations to offset the effects of COVID-19 on the Marshallese community in NWA. Our current focus is to share vital health information about COVID-19 in Marshallese, including prevention measures, symptoms, and what to do if you are sick. We are also part of a newly formed Marshallese COVID-19 Task Force and are accepting donations for food and supplies for the most vulnerable as the pandemic continues to expand and food insecurity becomes a greater issue.

The Marshallese community, which does not have access to Medicare and has one of the highest rates of diabetes in the world (40%), are particularly vulnerable to Coronavirus. We are seeking donations for food and supplies, and asking for volunteers to help us with delivery as the situation becomes increasingly dire. We also continue to focus on the needs of Marshallese women, particularly those who are survivors of domestic abuse, assault, and/or trafficking, whose home is not a safe place.

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MEI was established in July, 2013, to blend scholarly research with practical outreach efforts to create awareness on a national stage, while also making a real difference in the lives of individual Marshallese. Our mission: Through educational programming, MEI promotes the cultural, intellectual, and historical awareness of the Marshallese people to facilitate intercultural dialogue that fosters positive social change.

MEI offers services to both the Marshallese and non-Marshallese communities. Our team members are Marshallese, Marshallese-American, and US/Americans, which allow us to navigate between and among cultures.
In 2018 we opened the Marshallese Resource and Educational Center in our new office at the Center for Nonprofits at the JTL in Springdale. Outreach projects focus on youth, elder, and women's issues. We have a full time staff and offer walk-in services, including notary services, assistance with applications, and workshops that include creating a résumé, financial planning, and FAFSA and scholarship applications. Specific projects include the Marshallese Youth Academy for high schoolers and college students, collaborating with a Marshallese elder group to facilitate programming, and raising awareness about domestic violence against Marshallese women. We also focus on humanities and arts/culture programming.

For the non-Marshallese community, we offer translation and interpreter services, and conduct intercultural trainings and classes on cultural competency. We offer PD for teachers as well.

Currently, we are funded through federal grants through the Office of Insular Affairs/Department of the Interior, and the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration/Department of Justice.

We are seeking local funders, specifically discretionary funds to match federal monies, and volunteers.
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