In an announcement made yesterday, Monday 2 February 2015, the US Ambassador in the Dominican Republic James Brewster unveiled a partnership between the US government and Major League Baseball aimed at helping young Dominican men. The alliance seeks to reduce the problems created by the aspirations and athletic efforts of young Dominican men to make it in the Major League that often leads them to cut corners in their formal education. If they fail in their baseball career, they are left with fewer options for making a decent living.
The United States Embassy through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Major League Baseball (MLB) Players Association and Major League Baseball (MLBPA) signed the agreement that in addition to helping to promote education, will help in the fight against domestic violence and address the needs of children with disabilities in the Dominican Republic.
The event was headed by US Ambassador James W. Brewster and attended by USAID Associate Administrator Mark Feierstein, MLB Vice President of Operations Kim Ng, and Ian Penny from the Major League Baseball Player Association (MLBPA).
Dominican MLB players Pedro Martinez, 2015 Baseball Hall of Fame selectee, Carlos Gomez, Milwaukee Brewers All-Star outfielder, and Ervin Santana, Minnesota Twins All-Star pitcher, have lent their support to the new alliance.
The program seeks to motivate thousands of young people at risk to stay in school and graduate from high school. It will provide 50 college scholarships to high school students for two years. The partnership will also help to improve primary schoolchildren’s reading skills and facilitate access to educational services. In addition, this initiative seeks to train teachers and increase enrollment to include children with disabilities, as well as raising awareness to end domestic violence against women and counsel men who have committed gender-based crimes.
The activities will take place in hometowns of MLB players: Santo Domingo, Santiago, San Cristobal, San Pedro de Macoris, Puerto Plata, Haina and Bonao.
http://santodomingo.usembassy.gov/pr-150202.html