South Dakota is located in the Midwest of the United States. It is bordered, clockwise, by North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana. Named after the Sioux American Indian Tribes, the Lakota and the Dakota, South Dakota encompasses nine Indian Reservations within its borders, of which Cheyenne River is the largest.
The landscape of South Dakota is largely defined by prairies with tall grass and gently rolling hills. Its most famous landmark is Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills region of the state.
Development in South Dakota
The Cheyenne River Reservation is located in two of the five poorest counties in the U.S. Plagued by high unemployment rates (about 70%), the majority of households live at or below poverty level. The economy is largely tied to agriculture, mainly ranching and farming.
While there are also several small commercial businesses (restaurant, hairdresser, convenience store, etc.), the two largest employers are the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Unlike many other Native American reservations in the U.S., Cheyenne River does not operate any casinos on their land, fearing a rise in alcohol and gambling addictions.
Housing on the Cheyenne River Reservation tends to be substandard and often accommodates extended families. While the national overcrowding rate in the U.S. is only 5.9%, overcrowding on the reservations can be as high as 27%.
Volunteer Impact
Volunteers provide assistance to disadvantaged Lakota youth, focusing primarily children and families living on the Cheyenne River Sioux reservation.
As a volunteer in South Dakota you can provide love, affection, education and support to youth of the Lakota tribe. You will help to improve education and skills ensuring that they learn and flourish. As a volunteer you can contribute to administration and fundraising to benefit the functioning youth centre. You will also provide education, inter-cultural exchange and understanding in a South Dakota community.
What else can I do in South Dakota?
Volunteers are recommended to plan their sightseeing before or after their program dates.
South Dakota’s most famous landmark is Mount Rushmore, with its’ sculpture carved into the granite face featuring the heads of former United States presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.
FAQ
What is the climate like in South Dakota?
The Cheyenne River Reservation has a cold-temperate climate, with typically harsh winters and hot summers. Temperatures in the summer are usually between 80 and 95 degrees F (27 – 35 degrees C). In the winter the temperature can fall below 0 degrees F (-18 degrees C). Spring and fall are both quite mild with temperatures between 50 and 70 degrees F (10 and 21 degrees C). Cheyenne River receives very little rainfall and is usually quite sunny throughout the year.