BBHAGSIA Raises $4,000 for the Dafana Institutue/Quebo School Project
Exactly one year ago, BBHAGSIA introduced Daniel Nabicamba, the NGO-QUITACARE and the Dafana Institute. At that time BBHAGSIA successfully fundraised over $5,000 to launch the Dafana Institute which has been up and running and teaching students Monday through Friday. Last year at this time, we were planning our first visit to Quebo and published pictures from the construction achieved by February 16, 2023.
In January of 2024, BBHAGSIA and NGO-Quitacare submitted the Quebo School Development Project upon reuqest of the US Embassy office in Guinea-Bissau. As the proposal states,
“In response to the community need in Quebo, Tombali Region, South of Guinea-Bissau, NGO QuitaCare started building a school using its own funds and that of the community and friends, including the “American Brothers”of the Balanta B’urassa History and Genealogy Society in America (BBHAGSIA). . . .To support the Quebo School Development Project, NGO-Quitacare through its promoter Daniel F. Nabicamba recruited the help from BBHAGSIA to establish the Dafana Institute, an English-learning school in the busiest section of Bissau, as part of BBHAGSIA´s Decade of Return Program. Under the program, DNA-tested descendants of the various ethnic groups of Guineans living in America as a result of the Trans-Atlantic trafficking and enslavement of their ancestors are returning to their ancestral homeland. Due to the language barrier, it was determined that a major priority for those African Americans of Guinea-Bissau ancestry needed “guides” who could speak English and Guinean Kriol and the various ethnic languages in order to facilitate their acceptance and reintegration into Guinean Society. These guides would serve as translators and as ambassadors during visits to villages throughout the country. The income generated from Dafana Institute would be used to help finance the construction and operation of the school in Quebo. In return Quebo would become a host of Decade of Return visitors, providing opportunities for them to leave Bissau and travel to the off-neglected Tombali region for people-to-people micro-development. In this way, a strong relationship would be nurtured between African American citizens of Guinea-Bissau dissent and communities in the south and particularly in the community in Quebo.”
In February 2024, the Decade of Return hosted BBHAGSIA Member Felicia B on her first visit to her ancestral homeland. Felicia was escorted by BBHAGSIA President Siphiwe Baleka and NGO-Quitacare President Danial Nabicamba to the Balanta Village of Tchokmon that has “adopted” BBHAGSIA members. There, Felicia took part in the BBHAGSIA tradition and she received her Balanta name, Abebenan.
Abebenan escorted by BBHAGSIA President Siphiwe Baleka to pay homage to BBHAGSIA Spiritual Founder, Ngadesa Tchokmon).
Upon return, Abebenan sent the following message,
“I wanted to receive your blessing and support in leading this specific project to free up some of your time to raise funds for all other projects you have allowing me to work in conjunction with BBHAGSIA by leading this initiative.”
When she launched the GoFundMe campaign, she wrote,
“NGO-QUITACARE continues to work with the Balanta B'urassa History and Genealogy Society in America (BBHAGSIA) to fund various projects for Dafana Institute in Bissau; specifically teaching english to locals to guide DNA-tested descendants of the various ethnic groups in Guinea-Bissau living in America as a result of the transatlantic slave trade. This is how I came to meet Daniel and work with NGO-QUITACARE.”
We are happy to announce that with Abebenan’s help, BBAGSIA has been able to raise and transfer $4,000 for the Quebo School Project. It is an example of the Lineage Restoration Movement’s model of development. As I explained it in a Whats app forum for government officials and activists who attended the Accra Reparations Conference,
