Medical Screening for Headstart . . .
The trip we are preparing for will be occurring June 6-16th, 2008 on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The Oglala-Lakota people live on the reservation which is among the poorest and most economically challenged area in the United States of America. Many of the statistics ** point to a poverty cycle that is nearly unbreakable. However, we know that through education these people can overcome the obstacles in front of them and their children can mature into productive adults. The Oglala Lakota College Headstart Program is enriching the lives of children 3-5 years old, helping shape the skills for future academic achievement. The obstacle that stands in the way of this great program is the ability of the local medical infrastructure to provide the necessary screenings, medical and dental for the children to enroll in the program.
Building Renovation for Abused Teens Shelter
Our intent is to renovate the former abused women's shelter and make it a livable space for teens that find themselves temporarily out of homes.
Health Living seminars and screenings
Our objective is to work with the local nursing school to provide diabetes and cholesterol. We also would like to provide nightly seminars on several different topics to include meth abuse, suicide prevention and others.
Help Wanted! If you are interested in making the trip with us please contact Buddy Gray @209-522-7226 or e-mail me wlgray2@flash.net
**Statistics
The Pine Ridge Reservation is home to approximately 40,000 persons, 35% of which are under the age of 18. The latest Federal Census shows the median age to be 20.6 years. Approximately half the residents of the Reservation are registered tribal members of the Oglala Lakota Sioux Nation.
Recent reports vary but many point out that the median income on the Pine Ridge Reservation is approximately $2,600 to $3,500 per year.
The unemployment rate on Pine Ridge is said to be approximately 83-85% and can be higher during the winter months when travel is difficult or often impossible.
97% of the population lives below Federal poverty levels.
Some figures state that the life expectancy on the Reservation is 48 years old for men and 52 for women. Other reports state that the average life expectancy on the Reservation is 45 years old. These statistics are far from the 77.5 years of age life expectancy average found in the United States as a whole.
