An American social justice group that mainly does volunteer work in the Third World is spending a week on a First Nations reserve in Alberta.

Thirteen volunteers with the Global Citizens Network, based in Minneapolis, Minn., are on the Eden Valley Reserve south of Calgary until Aug. 16.

They are painting the reserve’s church, as well as doing some landscaping and building a wheelchair ramp.

Rebecca Theisen, who heads up the project, said it is important to understand the culture of all developing communities.

"One of the things that we noticed is that while we are in Canada, we are in North America, we are in a different culture. And, while the experience is not perhaps as dramatically different as in East Africa or Guatemala or Thailand, there are definitely similarities in the developing communities," she said Wednesday.

The network operates similar projects in Africa, Asia and South America.

Jim Dohr, one of the volunteers, said that living standards on Indian reserves have fallen behind the rest of North America.

"That’s our politics. Our politicians and our statesmen don’t recognize what they have done and what they are doing," Dohr said.

Gordon Wildman, a band councillor on the Eden Valley reserve, said he is happy to host the volunteers.

"On behalf of this community and the chief and council, I would like to welcome you and anything that is positive on this reserve is welcome," he told the group.

But Wildman said the project has more to do with cultural exchange than fixing up the community.

Statistics Canada has found that reserve residents are younger, poorer and less educated than most Albertans.

Claude Lefthand, an elder on the Eden Valley Reserve, said he also welcomed the volunteers.

"We are doing the best that we can, and there are a lot of negatives. But we are trying to overcome those, and I am happy what is happening lately with the Global Citizens," he said.

"They have come from all different [America] states to be with us, and, you know, I am happy with them."

Lefthand said both band members and volunteers have benefited from sharing their cultures with one another.