 The Dominican Foundation is searching for energetic and compassionate people willing to volunteer abroad in one of the most breathtaking regions of the world. The Dominican Republic, a Caribbean nation that borders Haiti on the island of Hispaniola, desperately needs volunteers in its struggle to attain a higher quality of life. In a country with a population of nine million, such basic human needs as clean drinking water and proper sanitation are sometimes almost impossible to come by. At Dominican Foundation, we have created a volunteer abroad program that will allow us to help the Dominican people acquire these necessities.
Even though the Dominican Republic is situated in such an idyllic locale, its people have struggled with poor living conditions and poverty for decades. Due to years of corruption, overpopulation, job scarcity, the increasing gap between the rich and the poor, and the rise in the national debt, many Dominicans live in conditions that most Westerners would consider inhumane. The Dominican Republic possesses the third lowest standard of living in the Western Hemisphere. Sixty percent of the population lives in poverty; one-third lives in extreme poverty. The average Dominican income is $60 a month. Because of this poverty and poor standard of living, many Dominicans are being deprived of the basic human needs that we deem essential. Most of us will never know what life is like without clean drinking water, a roof over our heads or adequate sanitation, yet many Dominicans deal with these situations daily. You have the power to help. If you decide to volunteer abroad with the Dominican Foundation, you can help the Dominican people raise themselves up from the extreme poverty and miserable living conditions that they have been exposed to their entire lives.
The Dominican Foundation and its partner, the Dominican Institute for Integral Development have created a volunteer abroad program whereby individuals from the U.S. and other countries can offer their time and energy to a cause that we believe very deeply in. Your energy, commitment and compassion will be even more appreciated than any monetary donation that we could receive, even though money is vitally important. By spending your time with the people of the Dominican Republic, you can help them first-hand to attain a lifestyle in which they will be able to sustain themselves. Throwing a wad of money or donated goods is not enough; the Dominicans will be helped much more when they can be shown that they can lift themselves from the quality of life that they currently reside in. A great deal of work is needed, and it certainly will not happen overnight, but with your help we can take another step.
There are several projects to choose from, including: water purification, school restoration, reforestation, HIV/AIDS prevention, micro-credit development and preservation of a botanical/archeological park. As a volunteer, you will work alongside engineers, agricultural specialists and medical specialists who are also donating their time and expertise to those Dominicans who have lived their entire lives in abject poverty.
Join the program today by filling out the registration form on the Become a Volunteer page. Volunteering with the Dominican Foundation is an experience where you will be able to deeply affect the lives of others, and you can be sure they will affect yours as well.
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