Our Projects

Well, at least some of us slept this morning. The construction site next door began just as I lay my head on the pillow to have a little sleep. The weather is a bit “cool” today, only about 35 celsius today (45 with the humidex)! After lunch we all jumped on the trucks to take a tour of our projects for this summer.

1. School in Arroyo Seco
We are continuing our school project from last summer. When we pulled up to the school, we were a bit emotional, seeing the product of our labour and I think I even saw a few tears. After we left last summer, a few teams came through

and did some finishing touches on the first floor. It’s all painted inside and out, and being used quite extensively as a school, community centre and church. Remember all the digging it took for that pit? Now it’s a real functioning bathroom! There were lots of reunions with the kids we all grew attached to last summer. This trip will see the completion of the second floor, stairs to the second level, an addition to the existing structure which will function as a medical clinic and pharmacy and put up a fence around the property.

2. Cangrejo School
This is a new project, starting this summer. We are starting a new school in the community of Cangrejo. This community has been burned twice. The “streets” are basically alleys and the people are very poor. Most of the residents are Haitian refugees, who because of the governmental system, are not able to obtain residency in Dominican Republic, even if they were born in this country. With no residency, they have no access to public education or health care. With the building of this school, we are giving these Haitian children an opportunity for education and essentially hope of a better future.

We have other activities going on at the Puerto Plata and Sosua dumps as well as the orphanage in Santiago. I’ll keep you posted on those as well. It’s been a great first day. I’m still looking for mangos.