Our Impact
​SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITIES
Each year, our dedicated YEEPI Team channels its time, expertise, and compassion to support families in need across Calgary. Throughout the holiday season, we collaborate with local charities and organizations—such as Inn from the Cold—to share nutritious food, essential resources, and hope with those who need it most.
Beyond direct aid, YEEPI places a strong emphasis on mental health. We provide vital mental health resources and programming to help individuals and families build emotional well-being alongside physical health. As we’ve grown, we’ve proudly partnered with respected institutions like Mount Royal University and engaged with initiatives supported by the Government of Alberta, strengthening our capacity to make a meaningful, measurable difference in our community.
SUPPORTING SURINAME
YEEPI Education Foundation is proud to focus its work in Suriname, a culturally rich and environmentally diverse country located on the northeastern coast of South America. Bordered by Guyana, French Guiana, Brazil, and the Atlantic Ocean, Suriname is home to approximately 600,000 people and is one of the most forested nations in the world.
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While Suriname’s coastal capital, Paramaribo, is where most of the population lives, YEEPI’s work extends beyond the urban centers and into the remote interior regions, where access to education, healthcare, and basic resources is limited.
Uplifting Maroon Communities
Our primary focus is the Maroon populations—descendants of Africans who escaped slavery during the colonial era and built independent communities deep within Suriname’s forests. These resilient groups have maintained strong cultural traditions, languages, and social systems, despite centuries of marginalization and displacement. We work closely with Maroon tribes such as the Ndyuka and Saamaka, the two largest groups, along with others including the Aluku, Paamaka, Matawai, Kwinti, and Boni. While some remain in the forested interior, many now reside in urban and border regions following displacement caused by conflict and migration in recent decades.
Why Our Work Matters
Access to basic necessities like school supplies, medical care, safe clothing, and clean water remains a challenge in many Maroon communities. Our programs are designed to bridge this gap by delivering direct aid, supporting education, and nurturing cross-cultural collaboration and dignity.
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Through initiatives like Operation Give-a-Bag, YEEPI has already reached children and families across multiple villages, hospitals, and orphanages. Our work continues to grow—guided by the voices of those we serve and the belief that every child deserves the tools to thrive, regardless of geography or background.