The Flip Flops are on the Move!

The boxes have been packed (32 in total) and are now on their way to the Dominican Republic!  We are so thankful to all of the amazing people that have assisted in collecting Flip Flops and Supplies and helping to make this all possible! 

Lucy and the boxes ready to go!

Lucy and I are so grateful to the following Companies and Groups who assisted us this year! 

Seven Stars Bakery, St. Elizabeth's Community, Old Navy (Warwick Mall), Home Loan Investment Bank, Benny's, WPRI 12, Beacon Mutual Insurance Company, Scott Elementary School, Robert Anthony Salon, Drs. McManus and Pratt, Coastway Bank, Salon Xtreme, DiLeonardo International, Natural Essence Salon, Girl Scouts Troop 186, Providence Picture Frame, Wells Fargo Bank, Secure Future Tech Solutions, East Side YMCA, Providence Rotary Club, Rotary Zones 24 and 32, Pocho Express Shipping, Pat Germani, Tony Mendez, Wascar Montilla, Michael Friedman, Beth Eustis, the Bianco Family, Christine Sturdevant and of course all of our of friends and family!!

Thanks in part to all of these people we were able to collect 2000 pairs of flip flops, 130 notebooks, 400 pencils and colored pencils, 40 pencil sharpeners and erasers, 60 soccer shirts, 25 soccer balls, 30 large packages of women's sanitary needs!  All of these items will be delivered directly to the people on the bateys in the Dominican Republic!  The children and families whom some have never worn any time of footwear prior to this donation.  Children and adults will also have the opportunity to have their own school supplies when they are taking part in learning to read and write! These items that we think of as every day items these children and adults are so thankful for receiving from us and from you! 

Thank you for continue to follow our story and help those less fortunate!  You have made a big difference in someone's life by your small donation and act of kindness! 

Thank you!

Don't forget to check out our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/FlipFlopsforFriends

Girls Soccer Team Enjoying Brown University Girls Field Hockey Jerseys!

We received an email this morning from our friend Martha Victoria, telling us that the field hockey shirts, from Brown University have been distributed to one of  the girls soccer team in La Romana!  This was so exciting, so see more of our donations be given to those in need!! Thank you again to Jill and the Field Hockey team at Brown for your continued support and to Martha for making it happen in La Romana!!

Reflections on this year's team project

It has been just about a month since we returned from La Romana, Dominican Republic.  As I began this year's blog, I now finish it, the same way I began - with snow lightly falling and the thoughts of the warm sun and fantastic friends I have left behind.  As I do every year, I take the time to reflect on the progress that was accomplished and the projects we still need to continue... This year's group was the largest that I have been with over the years - 24 Rotarians and friends of Rotarians, all here with the same purpose to give back and make a difference in the lives of so many!  In one short week we accomplished so much!  We visited 6 bateys and participated in the Patios de Escuelas - adult education classes, where we assisted with reading and writing and distributed school supplies to all of the students.  We built two, free standing, two person latrines, from the ground up.  Prior to us building these latrines, the residents of batey 105 were all using a total of 4 latrines, buckets, or the backyard.  Not very sanitary!  We visited countless schools to distribute school supplies, sports equipment, games, underwear and flip flops.  At each of the schools, the children's faces lit up when they were given their very own note book, pencil and colored pencils!  There were plenty of smiles and hugs to last a lifetime!  We visited the Clinica de Familia and learned a great deal about their HIV education and testing programs.  We also had the opportunity to visit bateys while they were doing HIV testing.  Another part of the program that we were able to learn more about is the work that is being done regarding sex education for young and teenage girls, as well as adults.  There is an extremely high number of teen pregnancies, rape, and abuse that happens in the community.  Education is only the beginning.  Our group continued to work with the Good Samaritan Hospital to distribute Water Filters and educate batey members about healthy habits and lifestyles.  We visited the Escuela y Guarderia Mi Refugio and was able to give the money to buy new text books for their 40 students, age 4- 14! And finally we were able to finish distributing the flip flops to the children and families of the bateys!  In total we were also able to distribute over 600 pounds of school supplies, personal items, underwear, clothing, games, toys, flip flops and sports equiptment!  All of this was done by 24 Rotarians from Canada and the USA, to countless batey members in over a dozen bateys and schools!    We could not have done this alone and I need to say a huge THANK YOU to Dr. Bob Chagrasulis, our fearless leader, the support of Rotarians in La Romana, and of course our fabulous guides and partners for the week - Daniel, Wascar, Jessy, Manuel and Fernando!  And to the people of the Dominican Republic ~ Thank you for allowing us to visit with you again share a little piece of us with you!

Over the last few years, I have truly enjoyed visiting the amazing people of La Romana!  The people and culture are outstanding and so welcoming!  I truly love and appreciate the people and the ability to be able to give back to those in need!

The Bridgton Lake Rotary Club posted a great quote on their blog for the week that I will borrow, because it is a perfect end - We Make a Living by What We Get, But We Make a Life by What We Give.  ~Winston Churchill.

En Amistad, 

Jenny

Our Team of Rotarians!

 

Giving School Supplies and Underwear

 

Elder of the Batey

 

 

Assisting with the writing program

 

View of the Sugar Cane Field

DR Clean Water and Sanitation Project - Distributions

In addition to building the latrines and meeting the people of the bateys we were fortunate enough to distribute over 600 lbs of supplies that were collected from our Rotary club, and all of the project teams Rotary clubs, and all of our friends and colleagues!  Each stop that all of the team members went they distributed school supplies, personal hygiene products, games, toys, underwear, toothbrushes, toothpaste, clothing and of course our flip flops!  Here are come of the supplies distributed...

We evenly divided the goodies into bags and was able to distribute them, to a dozen different bateys!  Below, the girls field hockey team donated two dozen shirts to a girls soccer team. Below is our friend and Rotarian Martha Victoria, who will be making sure all of the shirts are distributed!  Pictures to follow.

Manuel was one of the men that assisted our team when we were on the construction project.  Not only does he work at the hospital, but he also lives on Batey 20 and is trying to make a better life for him and his family.  He was previously a sugar cane worker and took the time to learn to read and write after he was done with work.  He like Jonathan had the opportunity and chance to work at the hospital as a water promoter and the was moved up to the construction team.  He still lives on the Batey even though he is no longer a sugar cane worker.  He is supporting his wife, and three children who live with him on the Batey.  His story touched us all.  He is now starting to learn English, and was practicing with us while working and going back and forth to the bateys.  Since he was in need of a little extra assistance we filled the two bags with supplies for Manuel and his family and as you can see he was ecstatic!  He just kept going through the bag and smiling, and told us what a wonderful gift this was!

DR Clean Water and Sanitation Project - Day 6- 2/6/15

Each year of the clean water and Sanitation Work trips have been very different and one of the reasons is the make up of the volunteers and the need in the community.  This year's trip was very different than last year because of the size of our group.  Last year we had 8 team members/ volunteers and this year we have 25 team members and volunteers.  As a group we were able to cover much more ground this year and assist more people in need. Each member of the group comes with a different passion and a different dedication for the people of the Dominican Republic.  

Our passion, from Providence was to continue with the Construction of Latrines and assistance in the schools, which I have spoken about in other posts.  The other areas of focus on this trip were the Escuela de Patio (outside schools), where older adults want to learn to read and write. Many of the older Batey members do not even know the very basics. This program gives them the opportunity to learn how to write their name, count, etc.  When we met with these folks the pride they had in showing us what they were learning was outstanding! Most of the men on the bateys are sugar cane cutters.  Each of the cutters make between $5-$12/ day, based on their work.  They need to keep track of how much they cut and let the supervisors know.  The problem comes when delivering the sugar cane to the supervisor, the cutter tells them they have collected a certain amount of cane and the supervisor writes the number on the slip, the cutter often does not know what is being written because they can read, and at times can be short changed their pay because of their inability to read and understand what is occurring.  This is one of the many reasons for this new program and the program is held only twice a year with 300 students per program.

Women's health education was the another focus of this week's trip.  We have teamed up with Mina Halperin (in coming President of the Central Romana Rotary) and Family Clinic Director.  Our group had tours of the clinic and were able to participate in education and training to young girls and women on the bateys about safe sex and health education, which until the clinic began, these women were never taught even the very basics about their health and well being.

The Dominican Republic has the 2nd highest level of teen pregnancy in the Carribean, and the only way to stop or at least slow the process is education and awareness.  The Clinic is now in the process of creating a program geared towards 11-15 year old girls, because teen pregnancy, HIV and HIV pregnancy is so common here.

There are programs to test as many women as possible, for HIV and AIDS, who are pregnant and if positive to determine if they should do a C-section or not.  This is called vertical transmission (mother to baby).  But for the past two years, they have had not had any babies born with HIV because they determined the HIV status in advance and thus the appropriate delivery method.  We also learned that the equipment to conduct this second test on HIV positive pregnant women is extremely expensive. 

In previous blogs I wrote about the schools and the bateys, another great part of the week, but the final part of the trip was installing water filters.  In the past we have installed many water filters, and this week we only installed a few because most of the the bateys now have BioSand Water Filters installed.  The filters tie in perfectly with all of the education we have been doing through out the week with the members of the bateys!  Cooking and drinking with clean water, bathing separately from where you use the toilet and washing your hands after people use the toilet all tie into the mission of why we are here doing the work that we do throughout the week!

DR Clean Water and Sanitation Project - Day 5 - 2/5/15

Today was a very different day! Instead of going to the work site and doing more construction we donated more of the supplies and flip flops to two other schools.  The first school was not on a Batey but was in an extremely poor section of town.  One of our friends from the hospital - Daniel lives close by this school, and said they the children and the school were I. Desperate need of anything that we could spare to give them.  The children ranged in age from 5-11years old (50 students in total) and as soon as we walked in the door they started smiling and wanting us to play with them.  We played for a little bit and then took a tour of the school - 1 playroom, 1 library (and I use that word loosely), 1 kitchen, 2 classrooms, a small kitchen and eating area and a medium sized play yard.    The text books in the classroom had been damaged by water and much use from year to year, they had some games, and some toys, one plastic jungle gym and not much more, but the children were HAPPY!  We took them all outside and gave each child a new pair of flip flops and they were over the moon excited!  After they sang us two songs and were clapping and cheering!  After the songs were finished we were able to give the principal and the teachers, new school supplies and balls for the school, underwire for every child and a donation of $450 for new books and supplies for the classrooms!  It was a very emotional time for all of us!

When we were finished with this school we went back to Batey Palo Blanco to give school supplies and more flip flops to the other session of primary grade students! 

This evening we spent time with the Central Romana Rotary Club!  This club is celebrating 70 years this month and is an incredibly warm and welcoming group of people!  It is always so good to have the opportunity to meet with them and join them for fellowship! The incoming President of this club is also the director of the Family Clinic in La Romana, whom I have met with on several occasions.  Tonight we donated over 100 pounds of supplies and flip flops to her for her summer camp program for the children of the clinic and who are among the poorest, and sometimes in extremely poor health, and live in La Romana and the surrounding area.  (Pictures to follow later).

Tomorrow we have some time off, but I will be sharing another story of Manuel whom we have worked with this week and tell his story.  The work that we are doing is amazing and we are truly assisting a population of people in such desperate need, but the people that we have met are equally amazing, and I feel truly blessed to have had the opportunity to meet with and work with such outstanding individuals!

Until tomorrow...

DR Water and Sanitation Project - Day 4 - 2/4/15

Another fabulous day in the DR!  Today we finished our part of the latrine project!  We finished all the painting, the flooring and the "toilet".  The only thing left for tomorrow is the hanging of the doors, which will be done by other members of our group.  Before we had to say goodbye to our friends at Batey 105 we left a suitcase filled with enought undies for all the children, school supplies, soccer balls, clothing and other games, all donated by our friends, Rotarians and community members!  To say they were thrilled was an understatement!  

 

After lunch we went to see our completed latrine from last year and the new duplex they are building on Batey 106.   The duplex that they are building is for the elder members of the Batey.  This is a new movement that is taking place on the Batey - a way to care for their elders! Fills my heart with glee...

When we were finished we brought some of Lucy's Flip Flops for Friends Flip flops to Batey 80 and Batey Palo Blanco.  While at both Bateys we visited the schools and were able to give 75 children brand new flip flops!  They were all so excited!

 

Tomorrow we are off to the orphanages  more schools and women's clinic! 

2015 DR Clean Water and Sanitation Project - Day 3 - 2/3/15

Today we began the next step of the two latrines - Painting!  Very exciting - we painted and watched the paint dry then painted the second coat... 

In addition to painting the excitement of the day was getting to know the people of the bateys.   On the bus ride to the Batey we met Jonathan.  Jonathan works at the hospital in the social services department and works with the health promoters and construction crews on the bateys.  What was most impressive about Jonathan was he was able to make it off of the bateys.  His father was fortunate enough to get a job in security at a private school and he and his brother were able to be educated at the school.  When they had enough money they were able to leave the Batey and move to the city.  Once in the city Jonathan and his brother were able to go to college and become educated, Jonathan in hotel management and his brother in music education. His mother is also getting an education now and within 6 months have a high school diploma at age 48.  She is excited beyond belief!!! Jonathan's story was made possible because his father's friend that found him the job, believed in him and had the faith that Jonathan's family had an opportunity for a better life and they took it! This story was so impressive because so many people do not make it off the bateys. There are generations living on the Batey without the opportunity to ever see another life outside the Batey.

A little more explanation about the people on the Batey.  The Batey land is privately owned and Centro Romana Sugar Refinery rents the land from the owners.  Then the refinery owners "gives" the sugar cane worker land and pays them between $7 and $13/ day for their work in the fields cutting sugar cane.  Each person that lives on the Batey needs to be connected with a man that is a sugar cane cutter.  No woman is allowed to live on the Batey without a man.  You can only imagine what happens to girls that grow up on the bateys... If they don't have family in the city to live with once they turn 18 they have to find a man on their Batey or another Batey to marry and start having children. If the men turn 18 they have to work in the sugar cane or have someone trusting in the community to assist them in getting off the Batey and find a better life like Jonathan....

 

2015 DR Clean Water and Sanitation Project - Day 1 and 2 (2/1-2/2/15)

Day One of our project was our annual trip to Beraca Church and back to our home base to get organized for the work week ahead.  This year we have 25 Rotarians and Friends that have joined us from Maine, Canada and Michigan.  There are a variety of simultaneous projects taking place during the week!  I am one of the deputies for the week along with returning Rotarians Julie and Cindy.  Each day everyone will have the opportunity to do different project.  We will be visiting the Family Clinic and working with Women's health education and HIV testing.  We will be working with and Adult education program geared toward older men learning to read and write - extreme basics... We will continue the mission of installing Bio Sand Water Filter, visit with schools and and orphanage and then of course my personal favorite building the latrines!  All of this to be done in 1 week!

Day Two - My group included my friend and Providence Rotarian Kevin and 13 other Rotarians piling into a bus and going to Batey 105 to build two free standing, two person latrines.  The masons had already started the cinder block structures and our responsibilities were to sift the sand, mix the cement and assist with the plastering of the latrines.  Tomorrow we will be painting and framing the latrines!  While at Batey 105 we introduced some of our new team members to the people and sights of the Batey.  The families are so grateful for our assistance they are always hugging and thanking us for all that we do for them!  

After dinner tonight we came back to the house and organized all of the supplies to be delivered over the next couple of days!  Make sure you keep and eye out for your goodies going to the people of the bateys and La Romana!  Until tomorrow.... 

Getting Ready to Go!

I sit here this morning with the wind blowing and the snow building up and I am anxiously awaiting the warm weather of La Romana and the smell of Sugar Cane!

We are getting ready for our 3rd Rotary Clean Water and Sanitation Trip to the Dominican Republic, where we will be building latrines and hand washing stations, installing water filters, visiting schools and new this year we will be visiting an orphanage and assisting in the Family HIV Clinic. 

Each year The Providence Rotary Club along with other Rotary Clubs and local businesses donate much needed items for us to bring to the children and families on the bateys and in the city of La Romana!  This year we were overwhelmed with donations!!!

A HUGE THANK YOU to the Providence Rotary Club Members, Smithfield Rotary Club, Newport Rotary Club, Warwick Rotary Club, Bananagrams, Drs. McManus and Pratt, Dr. Craig Elice, Home Instead Senior Care, Senior Care Concepts, All is Well Home Care, Secure Future Tech, Brown University Girls Field Hockey Team and of course our many friends and family!  We could not do this without your support and generosity!

We will be posting daily from La Romana beginning on Sunday, February 1, so that all of you can follow along with the journey!  And not to worry, we will be able to still cheer on the Patriots and watch the Super Bowl from La Romana!