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Most of these communities offer few employment opportunities. Many families struggle to survive in the face of extreme poverty, substandard housing, sporadic medical care, and limited educational opportunities. A Cycle of Despair The shocking truth is that — in the remotest corners of our great country — thousands of First Americans suffer in Third World conditions. Life on the reservation is, according to one Navajo leader, an “unending cycle of despair.” You may wonder why tribal members don’t just move to more populated areas, and many do just that. But others will tell you that they could not bear to leave the land their ancestors have inhabited for centuries, their traditional language and ceremonies, and their extended families. The Navajo Relief Fund (NRF) brings hope to these struggling people. Even more importantly, NRF helps build “strong, self-sufficient Native American communities” by drawing on the deep commitment to clan and culture that is prevalent on many reservations.
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