Kul Wicasa Wóyte Oígluha
Problem Definition:
We understand Indigneous communities have higher rates of diabetes, obesity, heart disease, among other health problems. Many families aren’t provided access to healthy foods, produce, and the right nutrition. Native children are 60% more likely to become obese compared to whites. The rates of obesity within Indigenous communities are exceedingly higher than any other ethnic group. Almost half of Native children are identified as obese. Obesity leads to many other health problems including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. These are only a few of the statistics among problems affecting our community and others.
Project Goal:
Our Project Goal is to increase the awareness of health problems, provide resources to help address them, and create a business that will allow us to accomplish these goals. We hope we can encourage our community to live a healthier lifestyle. Our vision is creating a healthier community with a sustainable food sovereignty program with a successful community garden and business to support our growth.
Proposed Solution:
To help us achieve this goal, we proposed some activities. We plan to expand on the community garden which will allow us to increase the availability of fruits, vegetables, and traditional plants. Through our business or farmers market, we hope to sell produce at an affordable price or free. Second, we plan to host community engagement activities and use produce for healthier meals for the elderly and community.
Major Project Activities:
1) Receive permission by council to put a vacant building in use for this purpose.
2) Learn and figure out what we can grow and what vegetables/fruits community members would like to purchase.
3) Get started towards the project by cleaning the surrounding environment and mapping out what we are going to grow.
4) Put together compost for soil.
5) Look into hydroponics and artificial lighting for other possible things to grow as an alternative method
6) Start growing this coming summer.
7) Setting up the building we get to sell the produce that we grow.
8) Advocating and bringing awareness towards what we are doing so that community members are aware of fresh food they can buy.
9) Put fundraisers together (money can go towards shirts for us, tribal members, a sign for our store/garden, etc.)
10) Expand business using the money we raise and the produce that we sell.
11) Bring other youth to work with us once we do expand.
Project Schedule:
Estimated Project Completion Date: 10/31/21
Major Milestones:
Begin Expanding Community Garden: 04/05/2021
Begin Planting Produce: 04/05/2021
Begin Rebuilding Current Business Area: 04/12/2021
Major Obstacles/Risks
1. Tribes permission, advice
2. Adults overtaking what we started
3. Crop failure
4. Lack of Commitment
5. chemicals, bacteria, pesticides, toxins
6. Supplies and funding
7. Sustainability
8. Land or space
How We Plan to Manage Obstacles/Risks
Communicate with community members, outside resources
Research
Keep tasks, keep our work with our responsibilities, identify responsibilities, passionate,
Understand effects of chemicals and how to prevent
Connect with the community to identify connection
Falls in with funding and tribe