The Hānai Ola Project, led by Lepo ʻUla in partnership with ʻApoākea Native Hawaiian Innovation Institute and the University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center, is a community-driven initiative to improve health and wellbeing in rural South Kaʻū. This pilot project addresses the district’s high rates of cancer, chronic disease, and food insecurity by combining culturally grounded education, early screening, and the revitalization of traditional food systems.

Through hands-on workshops, community farm fairs, and partnerships with local schools, Hānai Ola reconnects families to ʻai pono (healthy, traditional foods) while raising awareness about prevention and early detection. The project will also establish a permanent Cultural Food Producer Hub in Ocean View – providing shared agricultural infrastructure, a permanent farmer’s market, and a gathering place for health screenings, cultural workshops, and mentorship of future food producers.

Rooted in Native Hawaiian knowledge and strengthened by research collaboration, Hānai Ola builds pathways for lasting health, food sovereignty, and community resilience in one of Hawai‘i’s most rural and underserved regions.