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Fears over future of Ujima Housing Association
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The future of one of the UK's largest black-led organisations will be debated today amid fears that it is on the brink of disappearing.
There are concerns that the Ujima housing association, which manages almost 5,000 homes, will lose its identity.
Ujima, which has supported London's ethnic minority communities for the last three decades, was placed under supervision in October by the Housing Corporation.
In November, an interim board launched a financial analysis, which found that Ujima was in difficulties.
A shareholders' meeting will consider proposals that Ujima becomes a subsidiary of the London and Quadrant Group and is given financial help.
But those who oppose the move fear it would spell the end of Ujima and the specialist community support it has built up.
Henry Bonsu, director of Colourful Radio, a black-led digital satellite station, said there was real concern in the community at a time when people were crying out for solid, black visionary leadership.
"We have had people calling upset, shocked and angry," he said.
Lord Herman Ouseley, former head of the Commission for Racial Equality, has been supporting the "save Ujima campaign" saying: "It's left black-led community groups feeling they've been kicked in the teeth".
One of the activities Ujima has been taking part in is a twinning project with the village of Asekyena, in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.
No one from the Housing Corporation or London and Quadrant was immediately available to comment.
Jheni Williams, Executive Director, Federation of Black Housing Organisations, said: "The Ujima housing association is being forced by the Housing Corporation into being absorbed by mainstream body London & Quadrant - which will mean the end of Ujima and all the ethnic community support expertise it's built up over the last 30 years.
"This poses a huge threat to London's diverse communities as well as black-led housing and community groups everywhere. We must stop this urgently."
A Save Ujima campaign web site has just been launched at www.saveujima.com.
