Your donation buys materials to construct secure, sustainable housing for and by Lakota women and families in Wounded Knee, on the Pine Ridge Reservation, in the US's own Third-World Country. The worst of the flimsy mold-infested toxic shacks are replaced with straw-bale, eco-dome, cob, or palette homes for 6 or more Lakota families this year in this 4-year-old, Lakota-organized project. As tribal youths build the homes, they develop skills in the high-demand building trade -- a double benefit.
Due to long-standing US Government policies, Pine Ridge Reservation is America's 3rd World Country. 65% of residents live in sub-standard conditions, such as no electricity, running water, and often, without heat. Many children and elderly die of hypothermia each year. Without economic infrastructure on the Reservation, unemployment is 90%. Average life expectancy is 46. Safe housing, built sustainably, while training tribal builders, is a first step toward renewal of hope.
This project does more just provide housing to the most oppressed Americans. It teaches them valuable construction skills. It models the use of environmentally friendly, local, affordable materials. This project offers a window -- no, a whole doorway -- no, a whole house full -- of hope.
This project, provided by the generosity of average Americans, will restore hope to the Lakota people, allowing them to rebuild their valuable culture. A double eco-dome will sleep up to 12 people comfortably, but considering the dire need for safe housing, 20 people per house is more likely. 20 people x 6 houses = a whole community. But the most important thing is that they will learn to build the houses themselves, so they can add more rooms as needed.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
