Time certainly flies when you're busy. I can't believe I left home 11 months ago, and have spent 8 of those months in my site already! I figure you're all overdue for a Peace Corps update by now!
A quick recap: I am in the Dominican Republic with Peace Corps, a 2 year commitment of which remains about 1 1/2 years. I am doing "Community Economic Development" in Jarabacoa. My particular placement is with a coffee growers association (ASCAJA) where I am helping with marketing aspects and group/association strengthening (specifically, working on a new logo and packaging for roasted coffee, and trying to get the directiva to meet monthly). I live in the "campo", or countryside, with the coffee growers. I was lucky enough to get a placement in the mountains where it's much cooler, although it rains frequently.
In the last couple months, I chose to dive in to several unrelated projects, which now take up the majority of my time. The first of these projects is the often-requested English class. We've been meeting twice a week since June, and have our last class this week. I regularly have between 20-30 students. They range in ages from 8-40, and English levels of knowing nothing to those who can hold conversations. While an actual testable curriculum is hard under these circumstances, I have chosen to focus on pronunciation and getting everyone to talk. As with most people learning a new language, most of my students are shy about speaking out. Therefore, a lot of the one-hour class time is spent going one-by-one with practice phrases.
The second project is a preparation class for a youth business plan competition called Constructing Your Dreams. The idea is to meet weekly to learn about a step in the business plan process (evaluations, feasibility, accounting) which culminates in a 3-day workshop and competition in Sept. The winners receive prize money to start their business.
There is another youth conference in Sept called Celebrando Cibao (Celebrating the Cibao). This conference will focus on national and international diversity. Each volunteer on the planning committee can bring 3 youth to the conference. While planning has been overwhelming at times, we are looking forward to the conference.
The last project I have undertaken is my most important and time consuming. I am working with another volunteer, Courtney, who lives 30 mins from me on a project to get birth certificates for the kids in our campos. Birth certificates are very important because without one, you cannot attend high school, get an ID card, get insurance (although few of these people will anyway), or declare your own children. There are many reasons these people don't have birth certificates: lack of knowledge on the parents' part, lack of money, mothers waiting for the fathers to agree to declare his kid, or just plain neglect. Between Courtney and I, we have found 120 children and adults, 60 of which are ready to get their certificates by the end of August. We are excited about the success of this venture, although overwhelmed by the numbers. After we finish this round in August, we are hoping to continue the campaign through education regarding birth certificates, and possibly have another round later in the year. So far this has been my most concrete and rewarding work here!
Apart from work, life here is good. I am a new aunt (John Michael born July 9 to my brother, Peter, and his wife, Kelly); I have a new kitten, Bean, which wreaks havoc on my life sometimes; I have a Dominican boyfriend named Hito who takes good care of me when he's in town from work every other weekend; and I have a wonderful house that no Peace Corps volunteer deserves, but I lucked out with the owner. My life is much more "tranquila" since I moved out of my host family's half-built house, and it's given me time to appreciate the countryside around me. I've learned more than you can imagine about coffee growing, and (wonders of all wonders!) I've learned to actually cook a couple things! (Nothing fancy or out of the ordinary, believe me!)
And how can you be a part of this experience? Lots of ways! Keep reading my blog (updated when possible). Also feel free to email me or snail mail:
Jessica Stearns, PCV
Cuerpo de Paz
Apartado 1412
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
I would love to get news from you, home, or the states in general! (Care packages are welcome too!)
And lastly, if you are so inclined, we can use your financial support in one of the following projects. (A donation of $20-100 goes a long way.)
**Business Plan Competition - a youth business conference and competition,training today's future in entrepreneurial skills
**Celebrando Cibao - a youth conference celebrating diversity
**Birth Certificate Campaign - resources will be used to cover costs of paperwork and logistical expenses. In the future, we may do an education campaign on the importance and process of getting birth certificates.
If you would like more information on the conferences, please follow the above links (or just keep reading) or feel free to contact me. Each conference has its own manner of coordinating funds, so please note where checks can be sent. If you would like to donate to the Birth Certificate Campaign, please send checks to:
Jessica Stearns
1532 Castle Hill Rd
Walnut Creek, CA 94595
I hope you are all well, and I would love to hear what's going on in your corner of the world! Dios te bendiga!
Dear Friends and Families,
Saludos from the Dominican Republic! It is our greatest hope that this letter finds you well. As you are read this, over 150 Peace Corps volunteers are hard at work here in the DR. Working in a variety of capacities, each of these volunteers has dedicated two years of his or her life to promote the social and economic development of this third world country. I would like to take this opportunity to inform you of an opportunity to support one of the more exciting efforts being undertaken by volunteers.
Constructing Your Dreams is a youth entrepreneurship initiative founded by a group of 6 volunteers and planned in conjunction with a local non-profit organization, the Dominican Institute of Integrated Development (IDDI). The goal of the initiative is to promote economic development in the DR through youth entrepreneurship. To achieve this the initiative focuses on training Dominican Youth how to plan, start, and manage small businesses.
The initiative has two components. The first is training youth in basic business skills and working with them to develop business plans for micro-enterprises. This is done at a grassroots level by Peace Corps Volunteers and IDDI trainers who work to educate youth in their communities. Through an 8-week curriculum these youth are trained in the basic business skills (finance, accounting, marketing, feasibility studies, etc.) needed to start and manage a micro-enterprise. This culminates in the drafting of a business plan for a micro-enterprise. The second component is an annual business fair. During this fair participating youth from all over the country will come to the nation’s capital, Santo Domingo, for a three-day, two night conference. At this conference participants will listen to speakers from the Dominican business community, attend workshops on more advanced business skills, and participate in a business case study competition. The highlight of this conference will be the presentation by the youth of their business plans. These plans will be judged and winners will have the opportunity to receive a share of prize money to help fund the start-up of their businesses.
We are already pleased with our progress. Over 150 Dominican Youth have received or will receive business training in our inaugural year. We expect that 90 will attend the conference in Santo Domingo in late September. As this date approaches we are currently raising the ~US$20,000 needed to finance this business fair. This is where your support would be greatly appreciated.
Please consider an offer of financial support for our initiative. Donations will go to cover the costs associated with the conference (including food, lodging, and transportation for the participants) as well as prize money to finance winning business plans. Support of any amount is welcome. Our partner organization, IDDI, has 501 c3 status in the US and all donations will be tax deductible. Since Peace Corps Volunteer and IDDI staff costs are already covered by their parent organizations, this is a very effective way to give charitably – 100% of your support will go directly to the youth participating in this initiative.
Below are instructions for those interested in assisting our efforts.Please direct any questions or comments to:b.christopher.moore (at) gmail.comor leave a comment on this blogThank you for your time!
Respectfully,
"Constructing Your Dreams" Planning Committee
Peace Corps Volunteers, Dominican Republic
Instructions for Making Donations
1. Checks should be made payable to: Dominican Foundation, Inc.
2. Please write “Peace Corps Program” on the check memo line
3. Checks should be mailed to:
Dominican Foundation, Inc.
5840 Red Bug Lake Road, Suite 280
Winter Springs, FL 32708
4. Please include your name and a return address. You will receive a thank-you letter from the Dominican Foundation which can be used as a receipt for tax purposes.
5. Please also send an e-mail to Peace Corps Volunteer Chris Moore at b.christopher.moore (at) gmail.com or PCV Jessica Stearns at stearns003 (at) gmail.com confirming your name and your donation amount.
Dearest Family and Friends,
Saludos from the Dominican Republic! It is our greatest hope that this letter finds you well. All is well in the Dominican Republic; Peace Corps Volunteers are busy promoting and positively affecting sustainable development throughout the country.
As you may or may not be aware, volunteers, of all sectors, are involved in secondary projects. These are projects not part of our initial assignment. Most of these projects involve youth, and range from local reading projects to regional summer camps, etc. Projects are designed to present opportunities to deserving motivated youth in each of our respective communities that might not otherwise be available. One project in particular is especially important to volunteers and for this reason you are reading this letter.
“Celebrando El Cibao” (or Celebrating the Cibao) is a summer camp that takes place over the course over three days and two nights in the Cibao region, or the northern region of the Dominican Republic. For the past three years, participating volunteers have brought between two to four youth from their respective communities, who have expressed an interest in participating in the camp, usually through an application process.
Once at the camp, participants are encouraged and engaged to get to know and share with other volunteers and participants. The theme of the camp is “Celebrating Diversity.” Diversity is a very important topic here in the DR. The homogeneity of the country often causes Dominicans not take the time to look outside of their own backyard.
The camp engages participants, through a course of physically and mentally challenging activities and exercises, to the think about the world. Presentations are given covering topics looking not only at the DR, but to the island of Hispaniola, that is shared with Haiti, as well as the world outside the DR. Participants will then look at the role that they play in these settings and how their actions, both positive and negative, affect those around them. Gender, racial, physical, and religious are just a few of the forms of discrimination looked at over this three-day/two night camp. Members of foreign embassies, dance instructors, chefs, as well as nationals from other countries all share their experiences with participants.
From the camp, we have seen participants come away from the experience with the understanding of the importance of diversity as it relates to their everyday lives. Campers also gain the realization that we are all human beings and deserve to be respected and honored for whom we are inside and out. Following the camp, participants will be charged to return to their respective communities and initiate diversity-related activities that can range from a school presentation to a sports event using the skills and tools acquired during the camp.
If you are wondering how you fit into this equation, let us fill you in. Celebrando El Cibao is planned and executed by Peace Corps Volunteers and has been since its inception three years ago. Volunteers solicit financial resources yearly from the Dominican community and from friends and family in the US. Your donation to our cause would be greatly appreciated. The budget for this camp is approximately $4000 US Dollars. Donations of $25-100 dollars would cover the budget of our camp. With your donation we would be able to continue providing this once in a lifetime opportunity to deserving youth.
Below is the information for those interested in assisting our efforts. Thank you so much for you time.
Respectfully,
“Celebando El Cibao” Committee
Peace Corps Volunteers, Dominican Republic
Check Information and Mailing Information
Please make your check payable to Jessica Stearns. Please mail your check to the address listed below.
Celebrando el Cibao
c/o Marita Lamb
SDQ 8148
P.O. Box 025725
Miami, FL 33102-5725
For questions or comments please contact:Rachelle Olden, 2006 Celebrando el Cibao Chair (rachelleolden (at) yahoo.com)Jessica Stearns (leave a comment on this blog)
