The stewards for Project Accelerator program.(Facebook/ Jana Sasakamoose)

By Nigel Maxwell

Creating change

Ahtahkakoop woman aims to improve housing for home community

Aug 4, 2023 | 5:00 PM

The latest program from Indigenous Clean Energy could have a big impact on a small community west of Prince Albert.

Jana Sasakamoose, who is from Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation, and currently studying at the University of Regina, is among the chosen stewards for Project Accelerator. As a steward, it’s her responsibility to work with her home community and develop an energy efficiency project.

She’s chosen to do renovations on homes to make them more energy efficient for on-reserve band members.

She explained to paNOW her research will involve looking at how much a family is making for income, how they are paying for utilities, and how much they have left over for their needs and food.

“A lot of people are on assistance or using their pension to pay for their utility bills and the ones on assistance are only getting $315 every month,” she explained.

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For the projects, to assist with development, $125,000 in grants will be available to participants.

Sasakamoose was recently named one of only 20 recipients of the $10,000 per year (up to four years) RBC Future Launch Indigenous Youth Scholarship. She is currently pursuing her Master of Science degree.

“So when I’m doing my research, I’m not just doing it to write my thesis and get my degree, I’m looking at something that’s gonna make the difference and that change,” she said.

Over 18 months, participating communities will move through capacity-building training, gain access to a national network of experts and mentors, and complete the program with a concrete energy efficiency project underway. Sasakamoose is currently working on building a team and she’s hoping to get local youth involved.

“It’s important to involve the youth because they are the ones that are going to be taking over these projects and learning from these projects and bringing in something they can be passionate about, something they can create and be a part of,” she said

Saskamoose is also raising six children and noted her own desire to provide a better future for them.

Meanwhile, the Accelerator Program is one of a number of programs under Indigenous Clean Energy. Sasakamoose is also involved with the Imagination program which will provide over $30,000 towards the community’s garden and more specifically a new three-season greenhouse.

“We are hoping to get that started and ended in September,” she said.

nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell