The Economic Recovery Institute, Inc. (ERI) was established in 1994 as a nonprofit organization. The institute was created as a result of a pilot study. The study indicated a general lack of understanding and cooperation between Diaspora and continental Africans (African immigrants and African-Americans), accurate data, information dissemination mechanism and comprehensive programs that serve the multiple needs of culturally rich diverse African-descends across the Chicago metropolis and beyond. Thus, ERI finds it absolutely necessary to fill this gap by addressing the socio-economic needs of this target population.
Since its inception, ERI has been working in collaboration with dedicated professionals and groups to champion the course of the multi-ethnic African immigrants and distressed minority neighborhoods all over the Chicago land and continental USA, as well as Sub-Saharan Africa. Initial emphases were in the areas of education, research, cooperation and understanding, planning, development and policy analysis, with the goal of stimulating multicultural understanding, community economic development, and youth leadership.
Though still incorporating education as a major component, current focus has shifted to more programmatic elements involving microenterprise development, multicultural understanding, community economic development, and youth leadership initiatives both in the US and Sub-Saharan Africa.
The inception of the Women for African Development forges more collaboration to enhance the capacity of African businesses and professionals in the Diaspora to stimulate development in African communities.
The mission of Economic Recovery Institute, Inc. is to break dependency and stimulate economic self-sufficiency within the multi-ethnic African immigrants community, as well as improve the quality of life for underprivileged minority populations throughout the Chicago area and beyond to the African continent.
Incorporated within the mission of this team of seasoned professionals, working in collaboration, is a holistic development design that utilizes a comprehensive capacity-building approach to promote socio-cultural understanding, youth leadership ideals, and community economic development.
The institute pursues this mission vigorously through research and education, project implementation, professional and business development, technical assistance and collaboration with faith and community-based organizations, as well as public-private partnerships.
Harnessing the expertise of a team of seasoned professionals, the institute works vigorously to create a holistic development design that utilizes a comprehensive capacity-building approach to promote socio-cultural understanding, youth leadership ideals, and community economic development. Most notable since the institute's inception, are the philosophy of citizen-oriented development and the forging of collaborations to strengthen community partnerships that yield laudable results through research, direct project implementation, customized training, technical assistance to faith-based and community initiatives, public- and private-sector organizations, as well as individual consultation.
Thus, the institute embarks on a variety of projects within three focal program areas:
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