Economically, the Dominican Republic suffers from severe poverty, particularly in the rural areas where many roads are not made up, water is not on a mains supply and where large families live together in poorly-constructed houses of wood and corrugated iron roofs.
The wealth of the country is concentrated in the capital Santo Domingo, which stands proud on the seafront with its ancient protective fortresses a reminder of the battles for colonial possession of the island between Spanish, British and French. It boasts the oldest cathedral in the Americas.
But throughout the rest of the island, there is a need for help all year round which is what local and international organisations are doing – working on the ground to provide assistance. Volunteers are welcomed all year round.
Community Work
Amongst other things your tasks may include:
General Charity work:
Visit the communities, schools and families we work with, organise and deliver food to our cantinas, help to cook in our cantinas, take pictures and videos of kids for their sponsoring parents, take part in meetings with other organisations or new communities, help children in the neighbourhood with homework.
Promotional work:
Help to run Facebook and Instagram channels, create promotional material for our website (videos, photos, text.), edit and write proposals for generating funds.
Local Fundraising:
Provide English lessons and help with other occasional fundraisers such as selling clothes or food.
Farm work:
Gardening, building shelters for animals, cleaning and feeding animals.
Why Help
Your time helping in the Dominican Republic will most likely be an adventure. You will be completely involved in the unique culture which is likely to be quite different from your own.
You will have the opportunity to visit the rural areas of the country and get a deep insight into the problems these areas face.
Instead of visiting touristic hotspots, this will give you a much more authentic and raw insight into the real local way of living.
FAQ
Accommodation
You might live with other volunteers, by yourself, or do a homestay. Accommodations can vary in size. If you go with a host family you will either share a room with someone else or have a room for yourself. Some houses have running water (i.e. in the bathroom and kitchen) while others have just one tap from where they get clean water for all their needs (e.g. getting water for showering, cleaning dishes, etc.). WIFI will be available in your accommodation.
Requirements
• More than 18 years old
• Basic Spanish skills
• Motivated to make a difference