Wicahpi - Hands forming Lakota 8-Pointed Star

  AHOPA is a Lakota word meaning that people  

  are taking care of each other!

Baby Basics Program

Although Ahopa just recently incorporated, it is not a new idea.  For the past few years we've been looking at the greatest areas of need on Pine Ridge, speaking with our Lakota advisors, and looking at the programs that other organizations already have in place so that we aren't duplicating efforts within the same district.

We also didn't want to start off with more programs than we have the volunteer base or the funds to run efficiently.  We want to be effective and if that means we start small, so be it.  When we release our monthly reports it is important that all involved can see how and where we all made a difference.  We would rather assist one child, elder or family effectively than to take haphazard, half-way measures with many. 

Below are the initial programs ideas we have come up with.  Each of these can easily expand to help more people as volunteers and donations increase.  Other ideas that we have for the future include additional programs for children and perhaps a Christmas program of some kind.  Each of these will require far more funds than we will have available initially and will require larger groups of Lakota volunteers working within the communities.

We firmly believe that with the efforts of many, what we can accomplish over the next year may be surprising.

“Hecel oyate kinipikte – So that the People May Live.”

PLEASE EXCUSE THE APPEARANCE OF THIS PAGE, IT IS STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION!

The Issue:  High Infant mortality continues to be an issue on Pine Ridge.  Pregnant moms are statistically more likely to be diabetic, malnourished, and to receive little or no prenatal care.

Although the infant mortality rate in the United States has declined across the board in the last ten years, it has actually increased on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

According to the Center for Disease Control. the infant mortality rate is one the key indicators of the overall health of a country or a region. The infant mortality rate of the Pine Ridge Reservation is 3 times the national average.

In 2007, nearly 45% of infants delivered at the Pine Ridge Indian Health Service Hospital were to women who received insufficient prenatal care.

A lack of maternity clothes, baby clothes, formula, pampers and other baby supplies is another huge issue.  Pregnancy, what should be a joyous time in a woman's life, is often a time of stress and depression for women who do not have the means to adequately prepare for the arrival of their babies, nor to eat nutritiously while they are pregnant..

Our Response:  According to studies we have read, early and continuous prenatal care is the most effective means of providing appropriate interventions and reducing adverse outcomes among pregnant women and their infants.

There are a couple of organizations on the Pine Ridge Reservation providing Prenatal and Family Health Case Management Services. They remain involved throughout the pregnancy and until the child is two-years old.

Organizations such as Healthy Start encourage prenatal and pediatric care by providing transportation to appointments and other supportive services.  They also like to help the moms with baby clothes and supplies, generally using these as incentives or  "rewards" for moms who keep their prenatal appointments.

However, between their location and the fact that they are severely understaffed, these organizations don't receive nearly enough donated items to fairly and adequately assist all of the families they work with.

Additionally, the Healthy Start program was recently cut by 2/3, not just on the reservation, but across the country.  On Pine Ridge, where they already lacked resources, this is devastating news.

Right now, the three case managers at the Healthy Start on Pine Ridge have case loads of about 75 families each.  This doesn't count new clients from the average birth rate on Pine Ridge of 50 babies per month.

In our opinion, the best thing we can do is to help this understaffed, overworked and resource-challenged organization provide better resources to the moms and babies who come for help.

 

Program needs:  Pampers and baby wipes are urgently needed items for young moms.  As very few Pine Ridge families have a washer and dryer, and most districts do not have a laundry mat, the use of cloth diapers is almost unheard of on the rez--as it just isn't practical for the families there.

Online retailers such as diapers.com and drugstore.com provide free shipping for orders over fifty dollars.  This is the easiest and most practical and economical way to get pampers to the reservation.

We save money because shipping is free.  We save time as we aren't shopping for supplies, packing them, and taking them to Fed Ex to be shipped.

So at this point, providing monetary donations for pamper deliveries is the best way to help this program.

Additionally, clothing drives for infants and toddlers would also be helpful.  If you live locally we can help with your efforts and take responsibility for sorting and shipping the clothes if you cannot.

Long-Term Goals:  We are hoping to see the day when we can provide enough pampers so that each client of the Healthy Start program on Pine Ridge can receive one free package of pampers per month, plus help with clothing and other supplies.

Many of us working together can help the case workers at Healthy Start reduce the infant mortality rate on the reservation by providing adequate resources for their incentive programs.

Please contact us about this program today.

Youth Art & School Supplies Program

The Issue:

YOUTH WHO DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANY SUPERVISED AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES ARE:

57% more likely to drop out by the time they are seniors

49% more likely to use drugs

37% more likely to become teen parents

35% more likely to smoke cigarettes

27% more likely to be arrested

Pine Ridge schools are in the lower end of the spectrum in terms of government funding. Schools not only lack the resources for good art, music and sports programs but basic items that you'd expect to see in abundance in any school may be in short supply on the rez-- chalk, paper, pencils, crayons, books, papers, etc.

Additionally, the families often cannot afford adequate school supplies, which adds to the problem.  Simple items such as backpacks and pens may be unaffordable to a family on Pine Ridge.

There are no public playgrounds, libraries, video arcades, sports complexes, malls or other locations where children and youth may gather after school and on weekends.   After school programs are few and far between on the reservation.  These and a host of other factors contribute to higher delinquency and high school drop out rates.

Our Response:  We believe education and participation in the arts contribute to the healthy development of young people, their families and communities.  We are committed to providing young people on the reservation with a gateway into the arts.

We would like to help organize and provide resources for an after-school arts education program that  fosters listening skills, learning skills, creativity and responsibility.

Such a  program would improve the interpersonal relationships for Lakota youth, as well as giving them the opportunity to learn various arts program skills that would otherwise not be available to them.

Presently, we are in dialogue with community leaders in one of the districts on the reservation and working on a location for our first after-school program.

Program needs:  Items needed for providing healthy recreational alternatives and positive programs for youth on Pine Ridge include art and school supplies, books, craft kits and supplies for traditional Lakota crafts such as beading, quilling and quilting.

Monetary donations will be needed to provide snacks and juice for the kids and to ship supplies to Pine Ridge after we have held supply drives.   Your participation in our efforts would be very much appreciated.