On the sunny afternoon of August 19^th, the Nile Sisters Development Initiative (NSDI), a California nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization, became a recognized Live Well San Diego partner. NSDI shares the Live Well San Diego vision of fostering a healthy, safe and thriving San Diego for all residents by connecting immigrant and refugee populations to mainstream resources in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner. The recognition event began with a “meet and greet” among the excited attendees, including representatives from Councilwoman Mrytle Cole’s office, Molina Health Care, Planned Parenthood and the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA).

NSDI Founder and Executive Director, Elizabeth Lou, opened the event by expressing her heartfelt appreciation to all of the partners and supporters who helped NSDI achieve this wonderful accomplishment. Lou proudly shared NSDI’s history and described several of its valuable community programs that have been implemented through the years.  Some programs include:

• Assisting the underserved immigrant and refugee communities in filling out the necessary forms to receive County services as well as translating participants’ health care histories into their native languages
• Providing orientation to the Lost Boys who had no concept of how to shop for food and cook nutritiously during their acculturation into American society
• Providing a series of four classes taught by HHSA Central Region Public Health Nurses to educate Burmese refugee women about prenatal care and hospital deliveries in the US, exemplifying NSDI’s ability to leverage partnerships to provide valuable services to the immigrant and refugee communities
• Offering refugee and immigrant women empowerment classes regarding safety and protection from labor and human trafficking

Following Lou's speech, Barbara Jiménez, Director for HHSA Central and South Regions, commended the worthy and valuable work that NSDI has been doing for the vulnerable refugee and immigrant community since its inception in 2001, noting how it perfectly aligns with the Live Well San Diego vision. On behalf of the County of San Diego Board of Supervisors, Jiménez presented Lou and the NSDI staff with their proclamation designating the organization as an official Live Well San Diego partner and declaring August 19^th as Nile Sisters Development Initiative Live Well San Diego Day throughout San Diego County. Following the proclamation presentation, Petros Alemeselassie, Deputy Director for HHSA Central and South Regions, presented NSDI with an official Live Well San Diego decal to proudly display in their office.