Dominican Volunteer Adventure

ABOUT NPH

On June 21st I am heading down to San Pedro, Dominican Republic to spend a year and a half volunteering in an orphanage. The organization I am going to be working for is called Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH), which is Spanish for Our Little Brothers and Sisters. NPH was started in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico in 1954 by Father William Wasson after a little boy was arrested for stealing from the poor box of the church. Father Wasson took the boy in and by the end of the year there were 32 boys living at the church. Since then, homes have been started in 8 other countries and over 17,800 children have grown up in the NPH family. The mission of NPH is to provide a family and home for orphaned, abandoned and disadvantaged children. The program provides education, health care and a stable living enviroment that will help them to become productive members of their societies. Children are not available for adoption which helps solidify the idea of family. 

NPH- DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

The home in the Dominican Republic was opened in January of 2003 and began with seven children in a rented house. The current home now serves around 220 children and is located on a 50 acre plot just outside of San Pedro de Maicoris. On the property there are 15 family-style homes, two schools serving grades K-10, a volunteer & visitor house, an administration building, a church, a central kitchen, a clinic, baseball & soccer fields, a pottery center, a greenhouse, a large park with toys & basketball court and a special needs house is under construction.

To learn more visit:                                                                                                            http://www.nph.org/ws/homes/home.php?lang=en&dominican-republic or http://www.friendsoftheorphans.org/s/769/index.aspx?sid=769&gid=1&pgid=373     

MY ROLE

I will be working as the Communication Officer and Project Manager. This means I will be writing several pieces about the home and children every month to keep donors and volunteers in the loop. I will also be in constant contact with major donors about projects that they have donated towards and keep up with all the big and small projects that need to be taken care of around the home.

EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

My work schedule will be 11 on 3 off with 2 weeks of vacation after 6 months. Many volunteers travel around the country and carribbean islands on their time off so I have done some research on places I'd be interested in seeing and activities I'm interested in doing. Under each amount I have listed how it would help in my adventures. Possible adventures many include: Visiting the NPH home in Haiti, beach time in Playa Limón/Punta Cana/Barcelo Capella, Hiking the tallest point in the carribbean- Pico Duarte, Whale watching, climbing around the 17 waterfalls, Paragliding & touring around Santo Domingo.

HELP THE KIDS

Another way you can help me is by helping the organization. There are many ways to help the kids including sponsoring a child, donating money and visiting my good shop to pay for necessities around the home. Click on one of the following links to help support the children:

Sponsor a child: http://www.friendsoftheorphans.org/s/769/social.aspx?sid=769&gid=1&pgid=268

Monetary donations: https://securelb.imodules.com/s/769/rtCol.aspx?sid=769&gid=1&pgid=344

My Good Shop: http://www.mygoodshop.org/