Trip to Orphanage

sunshine_79

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Jun 1, 2005
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For those of you who have met Dale and Marta, the married couple who oversee the orphanage in Esperanza (spelling, anyone?) then your life has surely been enriched like mine has.

Wonderful people, very dedicated and hard working but also a heck of a lot of fun. I met them on one of the catamarans my first few days here and in time have become very close to them, especially Marta who is the sister I always wished I would have had.

In late Septemeber, I will be making the trip to the orphanage because the kids need to be tested in specific areas of the English language and that's where all my hard work to get my TEFL certification pays off. :glasses:

If anyone is interested in volunteering at the orphanage for a couple days or simply just getting away from normal life for a bit, let me know. I am so excited to go but I don't know if my enthusiasm is going to be infectious or not. I will be taking my daughter as well, I think it will be a great experience for a little kid to see how some other kids are forced to live. Then perhaps the latest Dora the Explorer toy won't be so important top her. Nah... I'm sure it still will, guess there is no reasoning with an almost three-year old.

Take care,

Sunnie
 

FireGuy

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Sunnie,

Please have a look at this website:

www.beyondthebeach.org

My name is Gregg Andrews and I am one of the Directors of Debbie's Dominican Republic Children's Foundation. I will be up front with you; I am not in a position right now to offer any assistance but in the relatively near future we are taking steps which may make a difference in this area. I am known to many on this board, some in person or through correspondence (Carina, Planner, Escott, dawnwil, La Profe_1, et al.) and if you are able to take any pictures and provide any background on this orphanage it might make a future difference. At present I have plans to next be on the North Coast in October.

Please correspond with me at Gregg.Andrews@GMail.com - it may make a difference; for the children.

Thank you.

Gregg
 

sunshine_79

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FireGuy said:
Sunnie,

Please have a look at this website:

www.beyondthebeach.org

My name is Gregg Andrews and I am one of the Directors of Debbie's Dominican Republic Children's Foundation. I will be up front with you; I am not in a position right now to offer any assistance but in the relatively near future we are taking steps which may make a difference in this area. I am known to many on this board, some in person or through correspondence (Carina, Planner, Escott, dawnwil, La Profe_1, et al.) and if you are able to take any pictures and provide any background on this orphanage it might make a future difference. At present I have plans to next be on the North Coast in October.

Please correspond with me at Gregg.Andrews@GMail.com - it may make a difference; for the children.

Thank you.

Gregg

Thanks for writing, Gregg. I am a softie when it comes to kids. Rich, poor, black, white, whatever.
 

Jay06

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Aug 19, 2005
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Hi,

Where exactly is this Orphanage located? If is not to far from me I wouldnt mind volunteering and helping these kids out especially since I know Spanish and English. The kids are the future and if we don't help them what can we expect of the future.

Jay
 

daydream

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Sep 19, 2004
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Hi Sunnie

I would definitely be interested but will be heading home at the end of Sept. When exactly in September will you be going and where is it located?

I am living in Puerto Plata at the mo.....please PM me with further details.

Cheers

Daydream
 

jellylegs2002

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Apr 9, 2005
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late october...

Hi sunnie, i arrive on 7th october in puerto plata and have plans to go to the orphanage to volunteer at some point as well, maybe you could help me arrange that, as you know the people who oversee it, but also, if anybody is in england and is looking for a way to get some supplies over to any local schools or the orphanage then feel free to contact me as i may be able to help and take some things over with me. Jess
 

carina

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Mar 13, 2005
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This orphanage for boys is located in Esperanza, where Dale and Martha works.
I think for those of you who just have a month or a few weeks to spend helping out, would do better by helping in for instance afternoon schools, where the kids do their homework etc.
This is not to sound negative in any way, but for orphanages there is a complete other situation, as for most of the public schools.
For orphanages, the foundations that runs them or it, look for specific qualifications to be able to make the absolute best for the children, each of the staff are groundly checked before working with the kids, and it is long term for the benefit of the emotional stability of the children.
Most orphanages don?t even recieve "guests-volunteers" or short term visits, as it is of no specific benefit for the children, and very time/staff consuming.
This is a really serious, hard, long term work the volunteers are doing, not something you pass by to be a part of.

At the schools, many appreciate and are so happy for volunteers.
I know that as I have alots of contact with several schools.
But the same goes here, a volunteer helps on long term, maybe agrees to teach the children English for the school year, or to do sports for a year, or
( depending on where the voluteer comes from ) teach French, or history or Foreign Litterature etc etc. Possibilities are many for long term.
Most schools would require references in some form here as well.

It is not something that can be done good, for a week or a month.
If you know that you are here only for a short amount of time, you can do very, very good and really help out in the afternoon homework schools where even a shorter term volunteer work would be appreciated.
Usually it is only one adult working with 10-20 kids, and the kids have to manage alot on their own when it comes to homework.
You would need to speak Spanish though, to be able to assist and explain for the children.

Another form of volunteer work is also to raise money.
Fundacion Patria, for instance, is still working on putting up black boards in the classrooms in public schools in Puerto Plata.
One black board is 300 pesos, delivered and up on the wall. That?s about 10 US and we all know how useful those are in teaching.
Even if you can manage your friends to go together for 1 black board, it is one classroom more!
 
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Chris

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Oct 21, 2002
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You've touched on a very important thing Carina. That is the thing of doing good - and doing good in a right way.

If someone wants to come on vacation and make 'doing good' part of the agenda, it would be greatly appreciated if you could make a donation to one of the many many excellent initiatives that already exists. It is actually for many organizations a great burden to deal with short-term guests. Some organizations have more resources than others, and they can afford to have people as 'guides' to short-term guests.

We learnt an important lesson when we went out to the marketplace to solicit funds to send a deaf girl to school. At the end of it all, we decided to support this girl by ourselves, by our own choice. The burden of entertaining visiting people who donated (and this was so gratefully accepted), against putting our time to other activities, was simply too great. We made wonderful friends in the process, but it took all our resources and all of our time to make ourselves available to meet and greet every donor. I learnt the value of having a good organization in the business of doing good, doing the work.

And I still have a few toys in a plastic bag hidden in the back of my closet, given to us by a wonderful couple Gregg and Giselle, that I dole out sparingly to whichever child I come across that is needy... The deaf school received their share for sure..
 

anton

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Aug 26, 2005
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need know

i need to know the phone and address of a company name F y R en santiago.
alguien puede ayuadarme
 

Snowbird

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Jan 17, 2002
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Amen Carina

Carina, you are right on in reference to assisiting at the orphanages. When a person comes in for just a short time, I am sure they do so with the best of intentions. However, in order to add stability and consistency, the kids really need someone who will be able to be with them long term. A short term experience may do wonders for the volunteer, and it may help the students a bit, and it may give the teacher some help, but in and out doesn't really help in the long run. The in/out actually creates more work for the teacher. He/she will need to make sure you are sincere in your efforts, and he/she will have to know your qualifications, and then he/she will have to make sure there is enough materials and time for you to do something positive. Will you be able to follow what needs to be accomplished? Will you be on the same page as the regular teacher? A para-professional can be useful, if there on the long term. If you have your heart set on assisting in an orphanage/school, please check with the facility beforehand to see if your time there can be put to quality use. A day here/there doesn't justify upsetting the classroom atmosphere.

SB
 

sunshine_79

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Jun 1, 2005
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Thanks for the input, everyone. I realize the amount of tiem and energy it takes to volunteer at an organization like this and I also know how beneficial fund raising, etc can be.

But please remember that Marta and Dale are very close friends of mine and that the trip down there is very welcome assistance for them. They devote their entire lives to the place for the time being and you might be surprised how much of a difference it makes just for them to be able to steal a few hours away from the boys to have dinner together. Since they've asked me for help with the testing, they're also very appreciative of any assistance at all. I was just discussing this trip with Marta the other day and she is very happy to have some company.

I will keep all of you who are interested in the loop as soon as we decide on exact dates.

Thank you,

Sunnie
 

sunshine_79

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carina said:
This orphanage for boys is located in Esperanza, where Dale and Martha works.
I think for those of you who just have a month or a few weeks to spend helping out, would do better by helping in for instance afternoon schools, where the kids do their homework etc.
This is not to sound negative in any way, but for orphanages there is a complete other situation, as for most of the public schools.
For orphanages, the foundations that runs them or it, look for specific qualifications to be able to make the absolute best for the children, each of the staff are groundly checked before working with the kids, and it is long term for the benefit of the emotional stability of the children.
Most orphanages don?t even recieve "guests-volunteers" or short term visits, as it is of no specific benefit for the children, and very time/staff consuming.
This is a really serious, hard, long term work the volunteers are doing, not something you pass by to be a part of.

At the schools, many appreciate and are so happy for volunteers.
I know that as I have alots of contact with several schools.
But the same goes here, a volunteer helps on long term, maybe agrees to teach the children English for the school year, or to do sports for a year, or
( depending on where the voluteer comes from ) teach French, or history or Foreign Litterature etc etc. Possibilities are many for long term.
Most schools would require references in some form here as well.

It is not something that can be done good, for a week or a month.
If you know that you are here only for a short amount of time, you can do very, very good and really help out in the afternoon homework schools where even a shorter term volunteer work would be appreciated.
Usually it is only one adult working with 10-20 kids, and the kids have to manage alot on their own when it comes to homework.
You would need to speak Spanish though, to be able to assist and explain for the children.

Another form of volunteer work is also to raise money.
Fundacion Patria, for instance, is still working on putting up black boards in the classrooms in public schools in Puerto Plata.
One black board is 300 pesos, delivered and up on the wall. That?s about 10 US and we all know how useful those are in teaching.
Even if you can manage your friends to go together for 1 black board, it is one classroom more!




Actually Carina, the way that the outreach in Esperanza is ran is a bit different than a lot of other traditional organizations. They do have many volunteers but the people who come down to assist do so for only a week or so at a time. Most of the volunteers are college students who can only spare seven to ten days. Dale and Marta don't ever have any long term volunteers. This is just the way that Tom, the owner of Orphanage Outreach, chooses to operate. I agree that it would be a lot more beneficial to the boys if there were long term volunteers but for the present, there aren't any. I have a lot of admiration for Dale and Marta because the level of dedication they both have simply amazes me. I don't think I've ever met anyone who works harder than they do.

Also, the boys speak a great deal of English, not solely Spanish. After all, they have to understand Marta when she is busy getting onto them for whatever mischief they have gotten themselves into :p

Take care everyone,

Sunnie
 

jellylegs2002

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Apr 9, 2005
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donations

carina said:
Another form of volunteer work is also to raise money.
Fundacion Patria, for instance, is still working on putting up black boards in the classrooms in public schools in Puerto Plata.
One black board is 300 pesos, delivered and up on the wall. That?s about 10 US and we all know how useful those are in teaching.
Even if you can manage your friends to go together for 1 black board, it is one classroom more!

Donations of some kinda: i have been, for the last 2 months been trying to gain sponsors from Uk based companies which i know are very successful, however this has proved near impossible, yet i have had one positive response.... wessexwater in Bath, my home town has helped by sending me a box of pencils, now i dont know how useful this is compared to money, but im sure something is better than nothing. If you are trying to raise money or help in some way, you may want to take another angle and instead of trying to get money, get supplies, i know this is harder to get to DR, but there are many people who use this site who are from many different countries, even people who go on holiday im sure wouldn't mind taking a small package of pens or books or paper, and if there was an arrangement for someone in DR to pick them up or something then they could be distributed accordingly. Maybe if there was one willing volunteer in each area of DR. If anyone from england wants to send stuff over or money or ne thing then im going on october 7th and would be willing to take somethings over. Another way to help raise money is doing things like: sponsored 24hr fast, i did this and managed to raise about ?130 which is better than nothing, as as mentioned above would help with a few black boards. Going to ur local schools, to ask whether they would like to help donate a small amount to help with either supplies or black boards etc, the school could get the children involved, cake sales is another good way that involves other children helping to provide for other children, it also makes them aware of things that go on else where in the world. In infant schools (children up to age 7) could have a day where they can learn about a different culture and way of life and how some other schools run, if you feel you want to help you could help organise that event and maybe do a talk if you know enough, and if you dont know even then there are plenty of people on DR1 who know a lot of insight which could go a long way.
Feedback to that school is then possible, photos of the new lets say black board, in the new class with some children that can be sent back to the school who made it happen will show the children who helped how they can help to make a difference. I have no idea how interested, or uninterested people are, but as carina said, a little goes a long way, and 300 pesos for us is not millions...... if you want ne more ideas or help to organise something i will be more than willing to help. I plan on visiting some local schools of mine when schools starts at the beginning of september and will hopefully have some good responses. Jess
 

carina

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Mar 13, 2005
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sunshine_79 said:
Actually Carina, the way that the outreach in Esperanza is ran is a bit different than a lot of other traditional organizations. They do have many volunteers but the people who come down to assist do so for only a week or so at a time. Most of the volunteers are college students who can only spare seven to ten days. Dale and Marta don't ever have any long term volunteers. This is just the way that Tom, the owner of Orphanage Outreach, chooses to operate. I agree that it would be a lot more beneficial to the boys if there were long term volunteers but for the present, there aren't any. I have a lot of admiration for Dale and Marta because the level of dedication they both have simply amazes me. I don't think I've ever met anyone who works harder than they do.

Also, the boys speak a great deal of English, not solely Spanish. After all, they have to understand Marta when she is busy getting onto them for whatever mischief they have gotten themselves into :p

Take care everyone,

Sunnie

I know that from a discussion with Dale.
Still it requires planning, there is an extensive backround check of people as well as documented qualifications that he requires before accepting voluteers.
My comment, and I am sure the ones that followed up, was in general aspects, not specific about the orphanage where Dale and Marta works.
Many, many people wants to help, I get emails or pms daily about this, and it is a wonderful thing. But doing good is a difficult thing, as Christa wrote, and we have to consider how to do good and what ways are best.
Taking in consideration how much time you can spend, qualifications, location and so on.

I still don?t agree with your comment " if you like to get away from normal life for a couple of days"...
That is completely out of line in my opinion to write something like that,
simply because an orphanage is not about you, but everything about the children who very often have hard traumas to deal with from the past.
It is a really big picture to understand when it comes to any orphanage.
 

carina

Silver
Mar 13, 2005
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jellylegs2002 said:
Donations of some kinda: i have been, for the last 2 months been trying to gain sponsors from Uk based companies which i know are very successful, however this has proved near impossible, yet i have had one positive response.... wessexwater in Bath, my home town has helped by sending me a box of pencils, now i dont know how useful this is compared to money, but im sure something is better than nothing. If you are trying to raise money or help in some way, you may want to take another angle and instead of trying to get money, get supplies, i know this is harder to get to DR, but there are many people who use this site who are from many different countries, even people who go on holiday im sure wouldn't mind taking a small package of pens or books or paper, and if there was an arrangement for someone in DR to pick them up or something then they could be distributed accordingly. Maybe if there was one willing volunteer in each area of DR. If anyone from england wants to send stuff over or money or ne thing then im going on october 7th and would be willing to take somethings over. Another way to help raise money is doing things like: sponsored 24hr fast, i did this and managed to raise about ?130 which is better than nothing, as as mentioned above would help with a few black boards. Going to ur local schools, to ask whether they would like to help donate a small amount to help with either supplies or black boards etc, the school could get the children involved, cake sales is another good way that involves other children helping to provide for other children, it also makes them aware of things that go on else where in the world. In infant schools (children up to age 7) could have a day where they can learn about a different culture and way of life and how some other schools run, if you feel you want to help you could help organise that event and maybe do a talk if you know enough, and if you dont know even then there are plenty of people on DR1 who know a lot of insight which could go a long way.
Feedback to that school is then possible, photos of the new lets say black board, in the new class with some children that can be sent back to the school who made it happen will show the children who helped how they can help to make a difference. I have no idea how interested, or uninterested people are, but as carina said, a little goes a long way, and 300 pesos for us is not millions...... if you want ne more ideas or help to organise something i will be more than willing to help. I plan on visiting some local schools of mine when schools starts at the beginning of september and will hopefully have some good responses. Jess

I agree with you Jess, a little goes a long way.
There are several organizations that do recieve school supplies both in Puerto Plata (Playa Dorada ), Sosua and Cabarete.
There are many individuals that help in different ways as well, by time or by financing school for individual children etc.
Of course every little thing makes a difference!
 

Snowbird

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Jan 17, 2002
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A Plan Is In Place

Jess,
In response to your suggestion of bringing supplies to the schools, Fundacion Patria, the organization Carina referred to, is already set up to receive donations of school supplies for the children. You can read more about FP by locating the thread: Help The Schools Via Fundacion Patria in the General Forum of the Travel area. You may have to sort through the pages to find the thread, but it is there. Read it, share it, and reply in that thread if you wish. FP is set up to assisit the schools in the Puerto Plata area. To date, there has been a great response from travelers who are wanting to assist the Dominincan school children.

Happy reading.

Actually, I just checked and the FP thread is in the middle of page 4.

SB
 
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sunshine_79

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Jun 1, 2005
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carina said:
I know that from a discussion with Dale.
Still it requires planning, there is an extensive backround check of people as well as documented qualifications that he requires before accepting voluteers.
My comment, and I am sure the ones that followed up, was in general aspects, not specific about the orphanage where Dale and Marta works.
Many, many people wants to help, I get emails or pms daily about this, and it is a wonderful thing. But doing good is a difficult thing, as Christa wrote, and we have to consider how to do good and what ways are best.
Taking in consideration how much time you can spend, qualifications, location and so on.

I still don?t agree with your comment " if you like to get away from normal life for a couple of days"...
That is completely out of line in my opinion to write something like that,
simply because an orphanage is not about you, but everything about the children who very often have hard traumas to deal with from the past.
It is a really big picture to understand when it comes to any orphanage.

The purpose of the trip is for volunteering otherwise I would suggest that people take a trip to a nice beach to get away for a few days. The purpose of this plan is not to benefit the people doing the volunteering but I'm sure that the rewards will still be very abundant.

And to me, it is getting away from normal life for a few days. Normal life, to me, isn't in Esperanza with Marta and Dale. Sometimes I wish it were though :D