The Raven Indigenous Impact Foundation received $500,000 grant to develop an innovative, Indigenous-led social finance model to reduce diabetes.
The Vancouver based Raven Indigenous Impact Foundation (RIIF) has announced plans to create a Diabetes Reduction Bond – an innovative model for designing and financing diabetes interventions in Canada and around the world.
Using a Can$500,000 grant from the World Diabetes Foundation, RIFF CEO Jeff Cyr described a three part action model they have devised as a way to drive transformation within a health care system. He says: “1. The investment of private capital allows 2. Indigenous community-led intervention to improve health outcomes, 3. resulting in massive systemic savings for government.”
He believes that over time that direct investment into communities, improved economic wellbeing for Indigenous families, increased Indigenous leadership in social enterprises, and significant long-term cost savings for the health care system.
Diabetes and its complications are a serious burden for Indigenous communities in Canada.
“We have to rethink how we address social problems in order to make lasting change in our communities,” said Jeff. “Indigenous communities and knowledge have to be at the centre of the approach.”
Participants include six First Nations communities, the RIIF, the Lawson Foundation, the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch of the Department of Indigenous Services Canada (FNIHB), as well as regional health authorities, medical professionals, Novo Nordisk, and several foundations.
The grant will fund the development and launch of a pilot Diabetes Reduction Bond/Community-Driven Outcomes Contract (CDOC) to finance diabetes prevention interventions.
Advocacy Action: Health inequalities can be found in many areas with indigenous populations. Are legislators aware of health inequalities among indigenous populations in your country? Can you do more to highlight their needs and assist them?