A Journey Through the Heart of Native American Indian Country


Today we traveled to the Pine Ridge Reservation, home to two Affiliates: Oyate Teca and Oyate Networking. Having never been on a reservation, it was quite an experience for me and many of the participants, who had traveled from as far away as Texas and Mississippi.

The communities CCF serves are very isolated and the living conditions are very poor. Youth and adults lack access to higher education and employment.

The landscape here is striking; the reservation borders the famous Badlands – named precisely because it is a land where no crops will grow, and animals cannot graze. Yet in Pine Ridge, we witnessed what can happen when an organization like CCF steps in to support the community and improve their situation. Oyate Teca and Oyate Networking run programs for youth which engage them in activities to build leadership skills and self-esteem, teach them real-life skills, and improves their academic performance.

After stopping by the Wounded Knee Massacre Site, where 300 men, women, and children of the Lakota Sioux were killed in 1890 by U.S. troops, we traveled to Kyle, the site of Oyate Networking Program. There we were treated to a mini-youth powwow by CCF enrolled children and the Hehaka drum group. The drumming was amazing, and the traditional regalia, most of it home-made, was absolutely striking.

Then we had a tour of the Oyate Networking site, a warm and inviting space equipped with plenty of books, learning materials, a dream corner, and lots of fun activities. Raquel Oliva, US Programs Director, described the programs provided there with help from Carmelita and Tanya, the two staff members. Conference participants also got a chance to speak with youth leaders and ask questions about life on the reservation.

On the long ride back to Keystone, participants discussed the great differences amongst the communities they serve – from Indian reservations, to Mississippi, to immigrant communities along the U.S.-Mexico border, and rural Virginia. The common thread, they found, is the resilience of children. In all corners of the United States, CCF is succeeding in helping children, youth, and their communities find durable solutions and improve their futures.

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U.S. Program Affiliates Gather in South Dakota


Greetings from Keystone, South Dakota! This is Amanda Rives, Policy Advisor for CCF, writing from the 2008 U.S. Affiliate Conference. We had a very exciting week and packed agenda, but the beautiful views of Mt. Rushmore and the famous Black Hills have kept us refreshed and focused.

Monday afternoon we were warmly welcomed by Raquel Oliva, Director of U.S. Programs. The participants greeted old friends and newcomers to CCF. There are representatives from 13 affiliates, representing a wide range of programming in South Dakota, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas, Mississippi, and Virginia.

Monday evening Ike Bean, Executive Director of Youth Development in Rapid City, gave participants a lecture on the history and culture of Native Americans in South Dakota. Then we were entertained by Shere Wright, United Sioux Tribes Princess who demonstrated her beautiful traditional regalia. The Okiciyapi Drum Group and Tiny Tot dancers added to the festivities.

The conference was full of skills building and important updates. Some of the learning sessions included: Self Acceptance and Healthy Esteem for Children of Today and Youth Environmental Education Programs.

I conducted a session with Robert Langford, Executive Director of Operation Shoestring from Jackson, Miss. on advocacy. Robert described his web of connections which has helped Operation Shoestring be an effective advocate for children and their families. He described successes they have achieved in High-school Drop Out Prevention programs, as well as lessons learned from advocating for Early Childhood Development programs. I highlighted key building blocks that some of our program affiliates used to scale-up their advocacy efforts. We discussed future advocacy actions to implement with our program affiliates and also in Washington, D.C. More details tomorrow!

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As my last blog entry for Ecuador before boarding a plane at some unkind hour (leaving the hotel at 3:30 a.m.), I want to take a minute to reflect on the highlights and moments that capture the imagination and the spirit of the trip.

I remember walking through the winding dust-filled streets, with children clamoring for photos shouting in limited English – their eyes lit with a fire of self-value and respect. They giggle when you turn the camera so they can see themselves. Each wants to be the first and the loudest to tell you his/her name and in their enthusiasm, their shouts rise louder and louder. They hold your hands and tell you their favorite activity. They tell you where their sponsor lives sometimes ask if we can ask their sponsor to send a letter.


I remember a father’s pride etched in a smile at his garden teeming with tomatoes, lettuce and other assorted vegetables. CCF has demonstrative farms to teach the families how to better irrigate and grow crops using organic methods that are safe for their families and the environment. You can feel the palpable pride as the parents show you their produce, their hard work, their dedication and you understand that their children will be properly nourished and that they can sell the surplus to have sufficient income to pay for their family’s basic needs.

I remember the National Director playing with a group of young children in the window of a nearby CCF preschool. The kids know him and they have a rapport that is more comfortable than any I have seen in my other travels. There is a song that they sing together, chorus after chorus booming and echoing. Their energy is intoxicating….the alphabet, the numbers and the alphabet again.

I remember a community representative telling me about a strange trend right now in Cotopaxi: after decades of families emigrating from the area in search of better jobs, security, and ultimately improved futures for their children, now families are moving back into the area because of improved economic opportunities, improved water/sanitation facilities and improved access to education and healthcare. There is still much work to be done, but families who have moved away after giving up hope are finding their ways back because of the improved opportunities for their children, thanks in part to CCF’s contributions and partnerships.

I remember so much more….one young lady becoming emotional as she talked about how CCF programs helped her when she was being abused by an employer and was facing a future without education. I remember listening to children read one of their favorite story-books in the corner of a room dedicated to their expressions, thoughts, feelings and emotions. I remember seeing community members talk about their water filtration system and that it means clean water for consumption, growth and irrigation.





I remember one young girl, Karen, mustering the confidence to bring a bean collage of the Corpus Cristi celebration to me and ask that I take it back to my country to show everyone I know.




She was excited when I told her that my mom’s name is Karen too.









The memories are so vivid…the names, the faces, the places, the emotions….everything is so quintessentially Ecuador. It is never easy to leave a country; it is never easy to adequately share the experiences once you return home.

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