The world is facing a growing human crisis of monumental proportion. The greatest number of refugees and migrants since WWII is fleeing their homes because of widespread political unrest, civil war, persecution, and environmental degradation. Some of these people make their way to safety in Maine.

 Ladder to the Moon Network's publication Amjambo Africa! is a response to this crisis and has these goals:

 

• Raise awareness on the part of Mainers of the scope of the conflicts in Africa and why refugees and asylum seekers have left their countries in such numbers to come to Maine

• Raise awareness of the challenges that immigrants face as they move through the stages of integration into their new homeland

• Raise awareness on the part of New Mainers of Maine’s cultural norms and traditions

• Profile New Mainers so that readers associate a human face and story in Maine with the refugee crisis

• Educate Mainers about the history and culture of people from Africa

• Facilitate integration of New Mainers into Maine communities through workshops, trainings, and job openings announced in the newspaper

• Inform Mainers of how they can help refugees and asylum seekers

• Communicate in six languages: English, Swahili, French, Kinyarwanda, Portuguese, and Somali

• Publish monthly with distribution at no cost to the readers. 

• Provide online access and subscription service for those living outside distribution centers