​Samson Richard Kabbashi, aged 52, passed away on March 28, 2018, at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine.  Born in Yambio, South Sudan, Sam was educated in the field of public health where he worked for many years in Louisville, Kentucky, Lansing, Michigan, Pittsburgh, Pensylvania, and Portland, Maine. He cared deeply for his fellow South Sudanese, serving as a leader of South Sudanese diaspora communities in Beirut, Lansing, and Portland. He treated everyone with respect and will be especially missed in the Azande community.  He is survived by his father, Richard Kabbashi of South Sudan;his wife, Dr. Betty Ayoub Philip-Kabbashi, three children, JacklineSam-Neimat Kabbashi, Richard Sam-Mbonriundo Kabbashi, and Roda Sam-Hipal Kabbashi, and twin grandsons, Prosper Johnson and Prince Johnson, all of South Portland; two brothers and three sisters of South Sudan and one brother, Patrick Kabbashi, of Portland.
To share a memory or condolence with the family, please visit www.ahutchins.com.  In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made at Bank of America, www.youcaring.com/samandbettykabbashi-1095935. More about his life of service can be found at ​http://obituaries.pressherald.com/obituaries/mainetoday-pressherald/obituary.aspx?n=samson-richard-kabbashi&pid=188616421&fhid=18577

By nature, Africans seem to have entrepreneurial spirits, but when they arrive here as immigrants, starting their own businesses is far more challenging than many expected.  Mohamed Gurhan knows because after many years of struggle, he and his brother run two livery services in two New England states. One of them, Pelican Transportation, is in Manchester, New Hampshire. His successful business has made it possible to hire many fellow African immigrants as drivers and staff, but Mohamed wants to give more back to his community by creating this nonprofit, Africans United of New England.
Here he can offer educational opportunities and share his hard-won experience in workshops about how start to your own business.  Check this website regularly for more.

You can also click here to read a post from Project Bazia about finding your business niche.