Empowering Rapa Nui with Health, Clean Energy, and Cultural Resilience
We bring medical care, sustainable infrastructure, and indigenous-led solutions to one of the most isolated communities on Earth — Easter Island, a UNESCO World Heritage community led by its own people.
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Health & Dignity
Restoring dignity for elderly & disabled communities
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Clean Energy
Deploying clean energy & atmospheric water systems
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Regenerative Economy
Regenerating agriculture & building food security
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Cultural Heritage
Preserving language, traditions & ancestral knowledge
Who We Are
An Indigenous-Led Foundation at the Edge of the World
The Mana Rapa Nui Foundation is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to improving the quality of life for the Rapa Nui people through healthcare, sustainable development, and cultural preservation. We are headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, and led by Erity Teave Hey — a Rapa Nui indigenous leader and Vice President of the Parlamento Rapa Nui, the island’s official indigenous governance body.
We work at the intersection of indigenous knowledge and modern innovation to build a resilient, self-sufficient future for Easter Island. We are not outsiders. We are family serving family — with direct community roots, parliamentary standing, and decades of lived experience on the island.
The Crisis
Rapa Nui Is the Most Isolated Inhabited Island on Earth — and Its Most Vulnerable Residents Are Being Left Behind
🏝️ Geographic Isolation
3,700 km from mainland Chile. Medical supplies take weeks. Specialist care requires evacuation.
🏥 No Disability Support
No wheelchairs. No rehabilitation center. No prosthetics supplier. Families bear it alone.
💧 Water & Energy Scarcity
Dependent on fossil fuels and vulnerable water supply. Climate change intensifies both crises.
🌾 Economic Fragility
Tourism-dependent economy with no agricultural base. Disabled residents have no income path.
Our Solution
Three Interconnected Pillars
Make a Difference Today
How Your Donation Helps
$100
One month of medical supplies for a disabled resident
$500
Assistive device package — wheelchair or prosthetic support
$2,500
Support one family program for a full year
$10,000
Infrastructure deployment — energy or water system component
Tax-deductible · Mana Rapa Nui Foundation · EIN: 33-4549354
A Real Story from Easter Island
“She has managed her garden every day for 40 years. Now, at 78, she does it with a quad cane — because no home care program exists on this island.”
Maria is one of dozens of elderly Rapa Nui residents who live without institutional support of any kind. No rehabilitation. No visiting nurse. No assistive device program. The Mana Rapa Nui Foundation visited her in November 2025. Her story — and the stories of her neighbors — is why we exist.
— Erity Teave Hey, President · Vice President, Parlamento Rapa Nui
Leadership
Led From Within the Community
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Erity Teave Hey
Founder & President
Vice President, Parlamento Rapa Nui — the official indigenous governance body of Easter Island
Born into the Familia Teave — one of Rapa Nui’s most established and deeply rooted families
Decades of lived experience serving the Rapa Nui community — health, cultural preservation, and economic development
Formally endorsed by the Parlamento Rapa Nui as the community’s trusted philanthropic liaison to global donors
Partners & Allies
Working With Trusted Community Partners
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Parlamento Rapa Nui
Indigenous governance body — official endorser
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Corporación Hotu Matua
2025 grant partner · cultural preservation · US$18,000
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Fundación Mata ki te Rangi
2025 grant partner · botanical research · US$75,000
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AMBAR-ACS
Technology partner · 3-SOL-X clean energy system
For Funders
We Are Actively Seeking Strategic Partners
Foundations, impact investors, and institutions working in indigenous health equity, climate resilience, or sustainable development — we want to hear from you.
View Partnership Opportunities →Join Us
Building a Sustainable and Equitable Future for Rapa Nui — A Replicable Model for Indigenous Communities Worldwide
Every dollar you give goes directly to named individuals and community programs on Easter Island. This is not a statistic. This is family serving family.
501(c)(3) Nonprofit · EIN: 33-4549354 · Durham, NC · manarapanuifoundation.org