Carlo lives with his father and his mother. At home, duties include carrying water, caring for animals and running errands. His father is sometimes employed as a laborer and his mother maintains the home. There are 4 children in the family.
As part of Compassion's ministry, Carlo participates in church activities and Bible class. He is also in primary school where his performance is average. Playing with cars, playing ball games and playing group games are his favorite activities.
Please remember Carlo in your prayers. Your love and support will help him to receive the assistance he needs to grow and develop.
Carlo lives on the plains of Las Pajas, home to approximately 2,000 residents. Typical houses are constructed of cement floors, wood walls and corrugated tin roofs. The most commonly spoken language is Spanish.
The regional diet consists of maize, bananas, chicken, fish, beef and rice. Common health problems in this area include parasites, fever and colds. Most adults in Las Pajas are unemployed but some work as day laborers and earn the equivalent of $128 per month. This community needs water, electricity, classrooms and employment opportunities.
Your sponsorship allows the staff of Pan de Vida Student Center to provide Carlo with Bible teaching, first aid training, medical checkups, vaccinations, sports, special celebrations, field trips, educational classes and vocational courses. The center staff will also provide evangelism and special celebrations for the parents or guardians of Carlo.
The Dominican Republic occupies the eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, which it shares with Haiti. It has a tropical climate, but moist, year-round trade winds keep temperatures between 72 and 83 degrees.
Nearly three out of four Dominicans have both black and Caucasian ancestry. Spanish is the official language, and 95 percent of Dominicans are Catholic. Nearly 90 percent of Dominicans live in rural areas where unemployment is high and malnutrition is widespread. A family's diet consists mainly of rice, beans and chicken. Though agriculture was long the economic mainstay, in recent years growth in tourism and free-trade zones has made the service sector the country's largest employer. Compassion works with children in nearly every region of the country.
The Taíno people were the country's original inhabitants. In 1492, they welcomed Christopher Columbus in his first voyage to the island, but subsequent colonizers were brutal, reducing the Taíno population from about 1 million to about 500 in 50 years. Hispaniola became the center of Spanish rule in the West Indies. The indigenous people were wiped out and slaves were brought from Africa to populate the island. The descendants of those slaves form most of the population today. For three centuries, Spain governed Hispaniola, followed by France. In 1804, the western part of the island won independence as the Republic of Haiti. In 1844, the eastern two-thirds of the island revolted and formed the Dominican Republic. In 2004, Leonel Antonio Fernández Reyna was elected to his second term as president.
Map of Dominican Republic
Child's Location: North of San Pedro de Macoris
