About The Mariposa DR Foundation The Mariposa DR Foundation is a small nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and empowering girls to end generational poverty. Located in the vibrant beachside town of Cabarete, Dominican Republic, Mariposa currently serves more than 140 girls and their families. The Mariposa Center for Girls is buzzing six days a week with a plethora of activities ranging from organic gardening to creating art from recycled materials, to dance, theatre, sports, academic tutoring, job skills training and much, much more. We welcome international volunteers regularly to work and play alongside our girls as fostering international awareness both locally and around the world is one of our primary objectives. We look forward to welcoming your group!
THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC The Dominican Republic occupies the eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, which is shared with Haiti. The Dominican Republic is one of the Caribbean’s most geographically diverse countries. Made up of sandy beaches, fertile soil, lush valleys, and rugged mountains, the DR is a paradise for memorable vacations and island living. There is no place like the Dominican Republic. As a culture that captures a variety of influences, residents and visitors are constantly surrounded by Spanish, African, and native Taino cultures. While Spanish is the national language, you will surely hear many other languages during your stay, including English and Haitian Creole. The language of music is also everywhere in the DR and dancing is highly encouraged. The most popular genres are merengue, bachata, and reggaeton, all of which you will hear on the beach and public streets. As the Caribbean’s largest tourist destination, more than four million visitors flock to all-inclusive hotels and resorts annually and tourism remains responsible for fueling the Dominican Republic’s economic growth. Aside from tourism, the economy is highly dependent on the United States, which serves as the main destination for many Dominican exports.
FAST FACTS Capital: Santo Domingo Area: 48,442 sq km Population: 10.3 million Sports and Pastimes: Baseball, merengue, dominoes, cockfights Main crops: Sugarcane, bananas, rice, beans, cocoa, coffee Climate: Tropical, little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall •
The DR has the 2nd largest economy in Central America and the Caribbean.
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The DR is the world’s largest exporter of organic bananas and cacao.
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The traditional dish of the DR is called the “Dominican Flag” (La Bandera Dominicana) and consists of rice, beans, and chicken.
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Occupying the eastern two-thirds of Hispaniola, the Dominican Republic is the second largest country, after Cuba, in the West Indies.
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The city with the 2nd largest population of Dominicans, after Santo Domingo, is New York City, the third is Santiago.
POVERTY IN PARADISE
The Dominican Republic is a beautiful country, and students will get to enjoy the diverse landscapes and natural beauty while experiencing warm Caribbean hospitality. However it is also a developing nation, with many deep-rooted issues.
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The Dominican Republic is ranked 20th in the world for child marriage. 41% of girls marry by age 18 and 12% marry by age 15.
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This is directly linked to a lack of education. 78% of girls with some primary education marry by age 18 while only 28% of girls with secondary education do.
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The Dominican education system ranked last in the region in the areas of reading, math and science in a 2008 UNESCO assessment.
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Income inequality is extreme, poorest 50% of the population receives less than 20% of the GDP.
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The overall unemployment rate in the DR is 14%, but 42% for young women.
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88% of children born since 2001 have been born to single mothers.
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Over 42% of adolescents girls become mothers.
These statistics are exactly what The Mariposa DR Foundation is working to change.
COMMUNITY ENGAGED LEARNING TRIPS Experiential and community engaged learning are at the core of what Mariposa DR Foundation is about. We practice what we preach. The girls in our program are becoming educated young women and leaders of their community because of the hundreds of hours of experiential and community engaged learning included in our innovative curriculum design. The most prestigious schools in the world are now reforming their curriculum to include components of experiential and service learning. At the Mariposa DR Foundation we understand that true cultural immersion begins with respect, solidarity, sustainability, and compassion. We teach students to honor the ways of others, to learn from the poor and to value their wisdom and views even though it might different, or, especially because it is different. Our trip leaders live and work here in the community and so the journey never ends for us. We know that the experiences we provide in the Dominican Republic play a significant role in shaping the world views of the compassionate young people who participate in our programs. We take this responsibility seriously and work diligently to nurture theses relationships.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT TO SEE IN CABARETE Situated in the rural north coast of the Dominican Republic, Cabarete is home to two distinct and interdependent cultures. Cabarete is world renowned for its prevailing winds providing some of the best windsurfing, kite surfing, and sailing in the world. These conditions coupled with its breathtaking snorkeling, mountain biking, and hiking attract a plethora of international visitors year-round. On the other hand, Cabarete is also home to a community of over 10,000 Dominican and Haitian men, women, and children who live in abject and extreme poverty. These families struggle daily to put food on the table. The education system historically has been abysmal and continues to fail the community’s children. Through our service tours we look to unite these two seemingly divergent communities by encouraging those who were offered more opportunities to reach out a hand and help to lift up those who are struggling. By choosing to participate in a community service project, you are ensuring a unique and life-changing experience. You will have access to a side of the community not seen by traditional visitors.
YOU WILL SEE, HEAR, TOUCH, SMELL, AND FEEL THINGS THAT YOU HAVE NEVER KNOWN BEFORE. YOU WILL LEAVE KNOWING THAT YOU HAVE TOUCHED A LIFE AND MADE A DIFFERENCE.
SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES There are always a wide variety of activities going on at The Mariposa Center for Girls and our local partner organizations and schools. To provide our volunteers with the best experience possible, we strive to consider their talents when matching them with volunteer projects. Some activities require basic Spanish while others require none at all. You will find the children in the programs and the local staff to be very receptive to learning from visitors and other cultures and is our goal to help raise worldly young people! Please note that in some cases an additional nominal fee will be required for building materials or special projects. If you have any special talents you would like to share, please let us know! u u u u u
The Mariposa Center for Girls Escuela Coral (local co-ed school) 3 Mariposas Montessori School Ruth Plaut Kindergarten Community and home projects
EDUCATIONAL EXCURSIONS u u u u u u u u
Rural homestay and cocoa tour in Rio San Juan Tour of coffee farm in Jarabacoa Trip to Santo Domingo, the oldest city in the New World Border of Lights event in Dajabon (October) Tour of Haitian Dominican Bateys Chasing the Butterflies tour of Mirabal Museum in Salcedo Landing spot of Columbus in Luperon Whale watching tour (Mid-January to early March)
AVAILABLE ADVENTURES u u u u u u u
27 Waterfalls Beach volleyball Catamaran sailing trip River kayaking Snorkeling Surfing Yoga
SAMPLE DAY u u
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Start day with delicious Dominican breakfast including tropical fruit Go to the Mariposa Center for Girls to tour the facilities where programs take place, meet the staff and rambunctious girls Begin work on a meaningful service project such as building a snack shack for the Mariposas to learn business skills by selling snacks to the local community, or building a wall at the Center to improve the girls’ safety Lunch break with typical Dominican food Continue work on service project During free time relax on Cabarete beach and enjoy local sights
TRIP DETAILS Trip duration: A few days to a few weeks Group size: 14 - 50+ participants Trip Cost: $175 - $275 per person per day (Minimum of 14 people. Trip will run with fewer but payment for 14 is necessary to move forward.)
uExpert guides and full oversight in case of emergency uPuerto Plata airport pick up and drop off uFull accommodations uAll meals & purified drinking water uTour of the local community uGround transportation for volunteer activities, visits to partner organizations, home visits and Mariposa related activities
uAn authentic Dominican adventure or educational excursion!
ACCOMMODATIONS The Mariposa DR Foundation provides safe accommodations for all community engaged learning trips. Accommodations ranging from modest to luxury are available, depending on the trip budget.
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Blue Moon
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Hummingbird
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Ultravioleta
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Millennium Resort & Spa
DINING Eating is a big part of traveling as we experience the culture through our most primal senses of smell and taste. While traveling with The Mariposa DR Foundation, you will experience the vast array of fresh food that is available in the Dominican Republic. Our groups eat most meals together to enable participants to taste a larger variety of dishes while enjoying each other’s company. At these group meals, food is plentiful, made from the freshest local ingredients, and prepared with both your taste buds and wellness in mind. We include lots of fresh and local tropical fruits including pineapple, passion fruit, papaya, banana, etc.
Volunteer Testimonials
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Even though I only spent a week volunteering with the Mariposa DR Foundation, I was blown away by the important work they are doing in the DR. Observing the impact that this Foundation has on the lives of these girls was a life-changing experience. I believe so strongly in their mission that I am dedicating a whole year to volunteering with them after I graduate, and can’t think of a better way to spend my time. The Mariposa DR Foundation is a truly wonderful non-profit.” -Sarah, Service Trip participant and Long-term volunteer
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I was a volunteer in early February 2013 for 8 days. The Mariposa DR Foundation took great care of us (the volunteers from Middlebury College) and exposed us to the work they were in the works of setting up, currently doing, as well as how they had grown from the work done in the previous year. It was an authentic experience in that it was a beautiful mixture of Dominicans and non-Dominicans working together to improve the lives (yes, quite literally all the facets of life) for young Dominican girls/teens. I would recommend everyone to try out the Mariposa DR Foundation experience to get a taste of the beauty and great potential of the Dominican Republic.” -Mzwakithi, Service Trip Participant
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I have never felt such an inspiration, such talent, and such power from a group of people. The fact that we were all women made it so much more special. I am still in touch with all of my girls, as well as some of the other volunteers and Mariposa staff members. This organization is based on a special legacy, that of the Mirabal sisters, and the symbol of the butterfly is incredibly powerful. The experiences I had with Mariposa are unforgettable, and the women I worked with continue to inspire me today. I will most definitely be returning. Once a Mariposa, always a Mariposa.” -Anna, Service Trip Participant
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Volunteering for the Mariposa DR Foundation was one of the best, most life-changing experiences I’ve ever had. I learned more in one week than I’ve learned all year being at an elite college -- thank you to everyone that made that possible.” -Rosalie, Service Trip Participant
PAYMENT SCHEDULE & CANCELLATION POLICY Please note that we can only go forward with the trip with a minimum of 14 people confirmed and deposit received at least 60 days prior to arrival. A minimum deposit of 30% must be made to reserve the dates because space is limited and many dates sell out. Payment in full is due at least 45 days before arrival. In the event of cancellation after confirmation but more than 30 days before the trip, 50% of fees will be refunded. In the event of cancellation less than 30 days before the trip we cannot guarantee any refund. We recommend that all participants purchase separate travelers insurance to cover any unforeseen circumstances that may affect their ability to travel to the Dominican Republic. With regards to hotel attrition rates, we work with our vendors, primarily small business owners to arrange all of our trips and assume all liability for any cancellations. We assume all risk in making reservations and payments on behalf of all service learning groups that travel to volunteer with The Mariposa DR Foundation Please note that the payment schedule and cancellation agreement above is inclusive of all hotel, transportation, restaurant and excursion reservations made during your trip.