Fighting Poverty through Education in the Dominican Republic

by Nichole Doud

Imagine growing up in a slum, fighting for your food, for your very life, only to be sickened by the water you drink. Imagine being sold into prostitution by your own mother when you were only 9 years old. Imagine being abused and mistreated for reasons you can’t understand because you’re deaf, and locals have been told that you were cursed and had no soul. These are just a few of the profound challenges faced by the poorest of the poor – the children – of the Dominican Republic.

Education is crucial to fighting poverty and creating social and economic development in a country. In the DR, with more than 40% of the population living in poverty, educational opportunities and resources are scarce. Since 1997, Vision Trust has been working to improve that statistic, and to provide opportunity for the children of the DR. Starting with one preschool, Vision Trust has grown to serve over 1,600 Dominican children in 11 different projects. Three of those projects were done in partnership with RetailROI.

A grant from the Retail Orphan Initiative was used to install computer labs at three different Dominican locations that provide more than just education, more than just safe food and water – they provide hope, healing, and a chance for a better life. Mi Esperanza is in the heart of the Sabana Perdida slum in Santo Domingo. Plagued by poverty, gangs and prostitution, children who live in this slum are continually exposed to danger. Even the water they drink teems with parasites. The School for the Deaf (CCES), also in Sabana Perdida, has the unique challenge of educating students and their parents. Most students here have been horribly abused, often locked in back rooms; some were never even given names. Most of the abuse stems from a lack of education, and the false belief among locals that deaf children are a curse to the family and are born without souls. And Ketty’s House, in Herrera, Santo Domingo, rescues and provides a loving home for more than 30 girls, many of whom had been sold into prostitution by their own families.

By partnering with Vision Trust, RetailROI is investing in the future of the Dominican Republic by providing hope and a chance for a better education to its children.

Results: Specifically, a $15,000 grant from the Retail Orphan Initiative installed computer labs at three different Dominican locations: Mi Esperanza, a school for 300+ students; the School for the Deaf (CCES), educating 80+ students; and Ketty’s House, a safe haven for more than 30 girls.

VisionTrust is not an aid agency. We are a growing group of people with a passion to love the neediest children around the world. Many of these children are hungry, abused, sick, neglected, or ignored. We strive to meet these crucial needs, but we don’t stop there. We know children have an even greater need: the need to be loved. As you partner with VisionTrust, you will not only be a part of providing things like food, medical care, and schooling, you will be a part of bringing love to children in desperate need of help, the next generation of leaders who will one day change their country.