Key Challenges in the Dominican Republic & Our Response
While the Dominican Republic is renowned for its climate and beautiful beaches, it's also home to many impoverished communities. And children in these communities struggle with the serious consequences of poverty.
Crime & Gang Violence
Young people in impoverished Dominican communities are often surrounded by gang activity and drug trafficking, especially in urban areas. They also face high murder rates and are susceptible to abuse and exploitation.
Some impoverished youths feel as if they have no choice but to become involved in crime to help provide for their families. Others are fearful of what will happen if they say no to recruiting gangs.
Our Response: Focusing on Child Protection
Compassion is working to protect youths facing gang violence, drug activity, trafficking and exploitation.
In partnership with the local church, we provide age-appropriate child protection training to every child we serve, empowering them to stand up for their rights. We train all Compassion staff, leaders and volunteers, ensuring they know how to intervene when violence or abuse occurs.
Compassion also provides safe environments where children and youths can enjoy sports and other activities instead of turning to crime. Plus, by delivering food, water and other necessities to children, we decrease the pressure they endure to commit crime to provide for their families.
Lack of Safe Water & Other Necessities
Children living in impoverished communities often can't get safe water and other necessities, such as nutritious food and medical care.
These right-now needs are expensive for families, especially when 49% of households in the Dominican Republic live on less than $3.20 per day.
Our Response: Fulfilling Right-Now & Future Needs
In partnership with the local church, Compassion steps in to provide the right-now necessities children in our program need to thrive, from nutritious meals to clean water.
But we don't just stop at their current needs. We help young people prepare for their futures through vocational training and tuition support. With job skills and an education, they can provide for themselves as they journey out of poverty.
Four boys take a break from playing and sit against a fence with their basketballs.
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A girl smiles in front of a rainbow-painted wall in her classroom.
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A group of children play baseball in the street.
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A group of children smile and wave outside of their child development center.
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A boy smiles in front of a baseball field.
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A group of children laugh together at their child development center.
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Children read their Bibles together at their child development center.
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A mother smiles and holds her baby.
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Teenage boys eat a nutritious meal together at their child development center.
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A boy shoots a basketball.
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