"Groups Helping People Stand"

Wawokiye is Lakota word that loosely translates into "helping the people stand," and is pronounced wah-who'key-yea. In 2007, Re-Member began a new program aimed at expanding our outreach across Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and making a difference in the lives of the people who live here. We began locating elders and disabled people who are unable to do a lot of things that are necessary to keep their homes fixed up.

Re-Member has been taking on home rehabilitation projects for 3 years, but this project is different. It is labor intensive and involves cleaning, picking up trash, yard work, painting and doing a lot of the "fix up" things we all do in our homes.

Poverty on Pine Ridge is overwhelming and generational. People end up spending all their energy just trying to survive day to day. Consequently, most people are unable to afford doing even the simplest of tasks on their homes. This is compounded greatly with the elderly and disabled. The need is very great, and the local tribal housing authority cannot keep up with the demand.

Re-Member is filling that need, and assisting those in the greatest of need. Bringing in our volunteers for the day, we are tackling whatever needs to be done. We are repairing walls, installing new lights, fixing porches and wheel chair ramps, cleaning, installing shelves and hauling away trash. We take lunch, sit down and visit with the residents, making new friends throughout the day. At days' end, both our volunteers and our new friends are standing a little taller, together.