Children In Need

Status
Not open for further replies.

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
13,884
495
83
From time to time posters ask how they can help children in Sosua. The Sosua News today is reporting on an informal project that might be of interest to some:

Sarah Katz, a relative of Sos?a pioneer Martin Katz, is committed to the children which by all kinds of reasons can not make use of free education. These are approximately 40 children who live in Sos?a Abajo and which are not officially registered. These children officially 'do not exist' and are therefore unable to use free public education and medical care. The children are from extremely poor families, often without a father and without proper clothing, footwear and daily meals. Sarah Katz, a socially-minded resident of Sos?a, has taken pity on these poor children.

From own resources and donations she ensures the children a daily meal, some clothes, shoes and education.

For the education of the children she rents a house in Sos?a Abajo (Calle Principal) with two rooms in which education is provided. It's a small house and circumstances are very primitive.

But the children are enthusiastic and inquisitive. But they lack many resources. There are insufficient school resources such as books, notebooks and writing utensils. But there is also lack of clothing, shoes and money for daily meals. That is why Sarah Katz calls on everyone with a social feeling heart, to support this project. Money is of course very welcome, but also cans of food, clothes and shoes in various sizes are very welcome. But there is also a need for a stove with a gas tank, fridge, tables and chairs. You can deposit your gift at the restaurant / bar Jolly Roger in the main street Pedro Clisante 11 or at real estate office Watson Homes (opposite Banco Popular).
E-mail: sarakatz1@hotmail.com
 

minerva_feliz

New member
May 4, 2009
458
22
0
More information, please.

Before people are moved to contribute to this initiative taken on by probably well-intentioned people, I would like to mention a few facts to be considered:

1. All children, regardless of documentation status (or any condition whatsoever), have the legal right to primary education up to 8th grade (Ley No. 136-03, C?digo para la protecci?n de los derechos de los Ni?os, Ni?as y Adolescentes)

2. Legitimate private educational centers that seek to replace the role of public ones must be accredited by the MINERD (Ley General de Educaci?n 66-97)

I would also highly suggest that the persons running this operation review in detail these Dominican laws that regulate education and child protection:

http://educaciondigna.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/ley-general-de-educacion-66-97.pdf

http://www.educando.edu.do/Userfiles/P0001\File\Ley_136-03.pdf

General questions:
How does your ?school? comply with these laws?

Where attempts made to coordinate with local schools, CONANI, local authorities, parents and the regional or district MINERD offices made before deciding that the best course of intervention is to open up another school for children who legally should be in the public schools?

Is there another justification for seeking to provide formal education to these children this way? (extreme geographic isolation, for example)

With much restraint, I reserve my opinions, experiences and recommendations until the OP provides further information.
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
13,884
495
83
Sara Katz was born and raised in Sosua. She is a descendent of one of the Jewish families who came here prior to WWII. All I know is what I read in the article, but I am certain that if these children were able to attend the school that she would not be spending her own money to provide educational services for them.

I do not know all the details, nor do I want to. It is sufficient for me to know that someone has identified a need and is doing her best to see that it is met.

There was an item recently in the DR1 news summary reporting the huge number of elementary-age children that are not in any school program. Why, I don't know, but if educational services were so widely available and easily obtained, why so many receiving no schooling. It would seem there is as need for more Sara Katzes.
 
Last edited:

La Rubia

Bronze
Jan 1, 2010
1,336
28
0
Those typically unable to enroll are Haitians born in the Domincan Republic, as they have no documents, and the Dominican government doesn't really mean them when they say all children have a right to an education. They aren't particularly committed to educating their own citizens, let alone someone elses.

It is wise to be cautious when giving to those claiming to help the unfortunate. However, when a long time poster brings someone elses cause to the board because they have personal knowledge of the good they do, I'm less skeptical than when a newbie brings their own cause to the board.

I'd still check them out, but applying Dominican law as a standard to anything would probably make you go crazy, and run you off from giving--ever!

Tough, because the kind hearted souls are often out numbered by the scammers.
 

Camden Tom

Bronze
Dec 1, 2002
736
39
0
Excellent thread Ken. I prefer giving to small projects that will have an immediate effect and the likelyhood that all the money will go to those in need.
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
13,884
495
83
La Rubia, I don't know the details of the program, other than what was published in the Sosua News today. But I do know the Katz family and that it is a very highly respected family in Sosua.
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
13,884
495
83
The North Coast Ad Scene this week has this as its lead article and provides more information. According to the article, the school was started by a minister to provide some education and also food for the 40 very poor students, ranging from young children to young adults that are presently in the program. Also according to the article, the school was started on the promise of a local business man to provide support, but this has not been forthcoming. So they are relying on the help of volunteers. Money won't be refused, but they will be just as happy to receive school supplies, old clothes, food, etc.

Scammers are not likely to ask for school supplies, old clothes and food.

Anyone wanting to donate anything can drop it off at the Jolly Roger Bar on Pedro Clisante or at the Watson real estate office opposite orange and kitty corner from Banco Popular.
 
Aug 21, 2007
3,043
1,970
113
I would assume this is a worthwhile project.....just watch the money management over time. With all non-profits that ultimately is the sticking point.

There is another worthwhile project going on for the Sosua kids. A German NGO built an orphanage and then gave it to the Catholic Diocese in Puerto Plata to operate. It is just outside Sosua Abajo.....turn left around Puerto Chiquito.

It is being run by 2 Venezuelan nuns. Set up to home 19 children. Just after opening their doors, they already have 6 children. They are set up with the DR government for referrals.

I know this, as this week I was contacted by someone affiliated with the Church. There was no money for food and I was asked to help out.

Some non-profits here receive much PR and support. They have proven themselves over the years and have earned it. However, some newer efforts also need support- desperately- and should be recognized as such.

Sorry to hijack the thread about the school project in Sosua....but it is important to know of all legitimate efforts going on to help those in need.

Lindsey
 

minerva_feliz

New member
May 4, 2009
458
22
0
As I stated in my first post, I do not doubt that these people have good intentions to help children. I doubt it is a scam at all. Everything received, even personal funds donated by these people, probably go to what they are destined to be spent on.

That being said, I believe these intentions are both misguided and misplaced, and that there is a more appropriate and economical response to the situation that is in the best interest of these children and their families.

Everyone wants to feel good about helping others. Unfortunately, their notion of the best way to help often comes from their own vision of what "needs to be done" without considering ALL of the factors involved, analyzing the the problem...roots, causes and consequences. Much less taking into account and involving those who are affected (families, children).

Problem, according to fulano/a foreigner/local socialite/politician: Poor barrio kids can't go to school
Causes: They are poor, don't have documents, and don't have clothes/supplies
Solution: Create a separate school for them from scratch with sporadic funding from foreigners and religious organizations

(Very simple and heroic. Sounds like it could rival "Three Cups of Tea")

Problem, from a perspective of children's rights: Children are being denied their right to primary education.

[Possible] Causes: Principals are not invested in complying with laws and doing their job, which includes follow up on children living in their district who do not attend school. Parents are not invested their children's education (economically or emotionally, for reasons within or beyond their control), do not have contact w/ children's teachers or principals, and/or are unaware of their children's rights. Children are unaware of their own rights and, without any support or encouragement to demand them, auto-marginalize themselves from public education. Municipality does not provide transportation to students to travel safely from schools located outside of their neighborhood. MINERD Regional/District is unaware of the situation.

[Possible] Solutions:
Organize a focus group with parents and children to discuss the situation, including the relevant parts of this law. Make an appointment with the school principal to discuss. Schools around the country are full of students of Haitian descent and Dominicans that do not have documents. [Problem of access to school could be solved right here].

If principal is not concerned, take issue to District and then Regional levels. Document the situation and take it to the press.

Organize parents and coordinate with Oficialia Civil to register all children who have proper documents. Most Dominican children who are not registered simply do not have documents because their parents have not been concerned with getting them. [Another problem solved for some students for now and for the future].

If the school is too far away, coordinate with local authorities to use Municipal transportation and driver, and help pay for the gas to take the kids to and from school. Or buy a bus and donate it to the school.

If the families are really poor and anyone has a document, they are most likely enrolled in the government assistance programs, which give food and school supplies. Perhaps they do have funds for those school supplies, but have other "priorities" that are covered first with that money (beer, cigs, cable). Pants for school cost like 30 pesos in any reguera/mercado/paca, gently used brand-name ones from the U.S.

Of course, those possible solutions, while seeking to comply with the seemingly "complicated" and "unnecessary" Dominican laws, and actually empowering parents, children, and helping demand that local authorities do what they get paid to do, all of which lend toward sustainability and possible wider impact in the future, take away all of the glory from those who want to "help" the poor barrio people that they "pity". It would also limit the possibility to spread a religious agenda through missionary/hand-out type work.

Is the first course of action actually "helping" these children, families and community? Handouts have been a standard course of action for quite some time here in the DR, and look at how far it's gotten the country. That being said, I'm sure any community (poor or not) would welcome a group of foreigners with arms wide open to take over concern about their children's education and give hand outs.

Is marginalizing children from public education (which they are entitled to, and will always be there whatever the quality may be, and has an actual curriculum that must be followed for the children to be able to continue their studies in high school and university) and placing them in an "informal project" a service or a dis-service?

The issue with education goes beyond these 40 children. If people want to make a difference in Sosua, they should establish a relationship with the public schools to sponsor additional things that the school cannot/is not obliged to cover. Example: Art and music classes, sports teams, after school tutoring program, educational murals, didactic materials, educational field trips, etc. Teachers can provide referrals as to which needy students could benefit from a school kit, which could contain shoes, uniforms, supplies, something that should be discreetly and non-self-servingly given to their family. I'm sure any person could get an even better feeling out of volunteering to lead any one of these things.

The truth is, local social problems here are much more complicated than many foreigners (and people in general) are inclined to believe or even interested in understanding.
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
13,884
495
83
Regarding the project about which the thread was started, in addition to the things mentioned in a previous post, children's book in English, French and Spanish will be appreciated, as will bi-lingual dictionaries. Anyone desiring to visit the program should contact Sara Katz to make arrangements. sarakatz1@hotmail.com

Until such time that all the school-related problems in the DR, including those mentioned by minerva-feliz, are resolved, there will be a need for programs like this. If unsupported and left to die, then a group of children will be left without any educational opportunity.
 

minerva_feliz

New member
May 4, 2009
458
22
0
Until such time that all the school-related problems in the DR, including those mentioned by minerva-feliz, are resolved, there will be a need for programs like this. If unsupported and left to die, then a group of children will be left without any educational opportunity.

Yes, there is indeed a great need for formal, well thought-out programs to strengthen and support the educational system here. Ones that run certified schools in coordination with the Dominican government, teach the established curriculum, and somewhat empower communities, like these three that work in the DR:

Fe y Alegria

COPA Home

Non-adoption orphanage that has a school: NPH Dominican

This Sosua program, nor the ones listed above, are not the salvation of these children to have access to formal education. All children have access to free public primary education in this country and this can be resolved by talking with local education officials.

If the aim is to contribute to the quality of their education, that's another thing, but the situation of these children should not be mis-represented to motivate uninformed, bleeding-heart people to donate.
 

j&t's future

Bronze
Mar 6, 2007
2,502
27
48
Yes, there is indeed a great need for formal, well thought-out programs to strengthen and support the educational system here. Ones that run certified schools in coordination with the Dominican government, teach the established curriculum, and somewhat empower communities, like these three that work in the DR:

Fe y Alegria

COPA Home

Non-adoption orphanage that has a school: NPH Dominican

This Sosua program, nor the ones listed above, are not the salvation of these children to have access to formal education. All children have access to free public primary education in this country and this can be resolved by talking with local education officials.

If the aim is to contribute to the quality of their education, that's another thing, but the situation of these children should not be mis-represented to motivate uninformed, bleeding-heart people to donate.

For many people, donating to causes like this is an opportunity to 'give something back', a chance to make a real difference in a town close to where we are fortunate to live.
Let's not try and put up barriers/political correctness (which has destroyed the values of the countries many of us have choose to leave for these very reasons) and condemn this project, let’s have a positive approach, praise it, support it where possible and hopefully these needy children will benefit in the long run.

J&T
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
13,884
495
83
I have lived in this country a very ong time and have seen enough to know there are many, many unmet needs in this country and that meeting these needs has not been and still isn't a priority of the government. If there are private citizens willing to step forward and do their best to provide for some of these needy, my hat is off to them.

In the real world of the Dominican Republic, this is the only way that some of these unfortunates are going to get any help.

Until the day comes that the government does all the things expected of it in an ideal world, I hope there will be more private individuals and groups that will extend a helping hand. Those who do are, in my book, not "bleeding hearts" but good Samaritans.
 

bob saunders

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
32,504
5,932
113
dr1.com
Yes, there is indeed a great need for formal, well thought-out programs to strengthen and support the educational system here. Ones that run certified schools in coordination with the Dominican government, teach the established curriculum, and somewhat empower communities, like these three that work in the DR:

Fe y Alegria

COPA Home

Non-adoption orphanage that has a school: NPH Dominican

This Sosua program, nor the ones listed above, are not the salvation of these children to have access to formal education. All children have access to free public primary education in this country and this can be resolved by talking with local education officials.

If the aim is to contribute to the quality of their education, that's another thing, but the situation of these children should not be misrepresented to motivate uninformed, bleeding-heart people to donate.

In what way do you think it is being misrepresented? Nobody is claiming salvation, but fulfilling a need that isn't being met. Fulfilling that need, even it is a stopgap, is better than the status quo of children being left behind with no education.
 

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
5,485
338
63
These children officially 'do not exist' and are therefore unable to use free public education and medical care.

I think what Minerva is saying is that it is simply not correct that children cannot use the free public education system simply as they are not registered, or in other words do not have birth certificates. Every child here, Dominican or Haitian, with or without papers has a right to education. No one would deny that what this lady is doing is fantastic, but it is worth remembering that we are living in the Dominican Republic and it is more sensible to work with what is available. Minerva has given some excellent links and I know there are several free Government funded agencies which are available to help and not readily known about.

Unfortunately many children, with and without birth certificates, cannot go to school as they can afford neither the uniforms, the materials nor the transportation. Many in fact have to work to support their parents and their siblings. As Minerva suggests, sorting these issues so that they can attend the local public school, providing after school education, and decent food and medical care is where the effort should possibly lie, whilst at the same time taking advantage of what is already available.

matilda
 

minerva_feliz

New member
May 4, 2009
458
22
0
Here is the contact information for the district level education office in Sosua:

Distrito Educativo 11-01 Sosua
Ubicaci?n : C/ David Stern # 5, El Batey, Sosua
Tel?fonos : (809)571-3791/ (809)571-2381
Extensiones : 51110/51111
Fax : (809)571-2381

And the regional in Puerto Plata:

Regional 11, Puerto Plata
Ubicaci?n : C/Separaci?n, Esq. Antera Mota, Edif. Gub.
Tel?fonos : (809)586-2335/ (809)320-8777
Extensiones : 31100-31101
Fax : (809)586-9550

If someone wants to make a difference in a more practical, long-term and economic way, they should organize a group of parents whose children are being excluded and make an appointment to speak with someone there.

Write a formal declaration about the problem, pass it to a few people in the local media.

With a little tact and a few hours of time time, if children really are being excluded from school for not having documents, there's a chance that these folks would be obliged to resolve the situation.

Isn't it worth a try if people are legitimately concerned and selflessly interested in helping with the problem?

But then, of course, where's the warm and fuzzy help-the-poor-barrio-children feeling in that?

I highly recommend the book "The White Man's Burden: Why the West's Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Ill and So Little Good" by William Easterly for a lazy day read on a North Coast beach.
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
13,884
495
83
Unfortunately many children, with and without birth certificates, cannot go to school as they can afford neither the uniforms, the materials nor the transportation. Many in fact have to work to support their parents and their siblings.

matilda

These students are in that category. In one of the articles on the project the minister is quoted as saying that buying food in these families is more urgent than school uniforms, and even then many of the children are malnourished and anemic. Additionally, some must ford a river in order to get to the school.

This program was started by local people, Dominican nationals, not by foreigners. They have lived in this area all their lives and know where the school office is and who the officials are. Additionally, the Katz family is highly regarded in Sosua and very well connected. If they felt there was another, better, way to help these students, I am certain they would not be supporting the school.

With respect to the "local media", such as we have in Sosua is supporting this program.

If those in this small group of students were the only ones who were being deprived a "proper" education, that would be one thing. The media would most likely join in making this an issue. But there are many thousands of individuals in very serious straits who are not getting the attention the need, whether medical, education, nutrition, or what have you. Expecting the local media to get all excited because a small group of students are not in the public schools is to not understand how it really is for a great many in the Dominican Republic.

I commend those involved in the Sosua program, the program in Puerto Plata reported by Lindsy Kaufman, and all the other programs started by people to meet a long unmet need rather than taking the position that the unfortunates would have to wait until the government came to its senses and started taking care of the people who are unable to care for themselves.
 

SKing

Silver
Nov 22, 2007
3,750
183
63
For the love if God, some people have nothing better to do than try to damage ANY good that someone other than THEM is trying to do. Ken, I applaud what your acquaintance is doing and hope she will be able to keep up the good work.
I guess as a future Midwife, I should not help poor women in labor who everyday birth their babies without dignity in bateys, campos, or even bathrooms as they all have the right to go to the clinica.
Good grief...........

SHALENA
 

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
5,485
338
63
For the love if God, some people have nothing better to do than try to damage ANY good that someone other than THEM is trying to do. Ken, I applaud what your acquaintance is doing and hope she will be able to keep up the good work.
I guess as a future Midwife, I should not help poor women in labor who everyday birth their babies without dignity in bateys, campos, or even bathrooms as they all have the right to go to the clinica.
Good grief...........

SHALENA

I too have delivered a baby on the floor of a haitian hut on a piece of cardboard having no idea what I was doing. I have paid for hundreds of children to go to school. But all I was saying was that don't spend money schooling these kids when there is a school option available and it is simply not true undocumented kids cannot go to school. Great to raise money to feed them, send them to school, buy uniforms, do post school programmes but do not say they cannot go to school as they can.

Not a question of damaging good just trying to help to advise to take what help there is available if people were not aware.

matilda
 

bob saunders

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
32,504
5,932
113
dr1.com
I believe that both you and Minerva are incorrect in saying the children can attend public school without a birth Certificate. Without being registered they simply do not exist in the governments eyes. In fact, not allowing them to attend school is one of the governments ways to force the parents to register their children.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.