NAIM's GOALS ARE:

YOUTH
The youth especially are in need of direction. Parents are often negligent, caught in their own patterns of hopelessness. The members of the tribal council and the tribal elders are encouraging youth to stay in school and go on to college. Sinte Gleska University is on Rosebud. However, the teen pregnancy rate is one of the highest in the nation, the youth are joining gangs, and drug use is increasing. The teens need to get off the streets. NAIM wants to raise funds for a youth center where they can go after school. It would be a center for wholesome fellowship as well as an educational and resource center. One of the advisory board members of NAIM is on the board of the Boys and Girls Club, and she will be helpful in getting this established.

EDUCATION
NAIM seeks funding to provide educational opportunities on and off the Reservation for not only Lakota youth, but also anyone who will commit to teaching on the Reservation.

MEDICAL
Sixty percent of Lakota have Type II diabetes. NAIM wants to raise funds for equipment to monitor blood sugar and materials to provide education about the disease, prevention, and living with diabetes after diagnosis.

PROJECTS
Fundraising to finance (completely or partially) building projects for individuals or churches on the Reservation is another goal. Most of the churches and homes in the communities need repairs of some kind. The Rosebud Episcopal Mission, which is "base camp" for the mission teams, has some specific needs.

MISSION TRIPS
Financing the actual mission trips is important. Funds are needed for supplies while on the mission field, for education, community and team meals, and extra projects. Funding for travel is a necessity.

In summary, NAIM plans to grow so teams are on Rosebud at least once a month eight months a year , March through October. Funding is sought to establish a youth center, provide educational opportunities, develop a program targeting Type II diabetes, and finance projects and mission trips.

NAIM teams will continue building on the relationship with the Lakota on Rosebud. The organization also plans to seek out the urban Indians in our home communities to establish a relationship with them in order to learn from them and seek opportunities to work with them.