Ongoing Projects
The Wopila Project seeks to make a tangible impact in communities in need. See our list of ongoing and future projects below.
Lakota Homes Playground Project
Lakota Homes is a housing community in Rapid City, SD that serves the local Native American population, the Lakota Sioux people in particular. Currently, there is no playground structure for the many children within the development. We plan to build a permanent playground structure which will serve these families for years to come. Additionally, we plan to surround the playground with informational displays for each of the 7 traditional Lakota values, reminding these children and their families of who they are as a people and where they come from.
These values served as the bedrock of Lakota culture for centuries, they include...
Woc’ekiya
Prayer: communicating directly with your creator without going through another person or spirit.
Wao’hola
Respect: for self, higher power, family, community, and all of life.
Wo’okagnige
Wisdom: judgment, discerning, and the integration of knowledge into the whole of our lives.
Waun’sila
Compassion: love, caring and concern for one another in a good way, especially for the family, the old ones, the young ones, the orphans, the ones in mourning, the sick, and the ones working for the people.
Wowijake
Honesty: with yourself, higher power, and others with sincerity.
Wawokiye
Generosity: helping without expecting anything in return, giving from the heart.
Wah’wala
Humility: we have a spirit, we are no better nor less than others.
It is our hope that the reclamation of these values and our Lakota heritage will serve to heal our people from the scars of historical trauma and provide a way forward into a healthy and prosperous future.
Rural Nepal Women’s Health Clinic
It is estimated that nearly 90% of women in Nepal do not receive any OBGYN care, and this is particularly true in rural areas where access to care remains a major obstacle. Women’s health in Nepal is a highly underserved area leading to significant disparities. There is widespread under-utilization of maternal health services for a number of different reasons, however lack of access seems to be one of the key reasons. We are planning to raise funds to build three sustainable women’s health clinics in rural Nepal to provide maternal health services to those women most in need. Please consider supporting us in meeting the needs of those who are often overlooked.