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UWC makes education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future
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“This was amazing. So grateful.” - Participant from USA “My eyes are more open than ever.” - Participant from the D.R.
Sustainability as Social Justice Overview INVESTING IN GIRLS AND MOTHER EARTH At the Mariposa DR Foundation we know that girls are the most powerful force for change in our community, and investing in girls will change the world. But looming over their day-to-day lives is the reality that a direct hit from a category five hurricane would wipe away homes and decimate the tourist industry, which is the heart of Cabarete’s livelihood. Climate change disproportionately affects women and girls around the world, and for this reason their voices need to be included in decision making about the environment. It is with this backdrop that we invite young women, the future leaders of their community, from across the globe to explore issues of girls’ rights and sustainability and why they go hand in hand in this engaging UWC short course. COURSE OUTLINE: Environmental Sustainability: Engage in questions about island ecology and environmentalism, how human behavior impacts coastal communities, and how sustainability is the world’s most pressing social justice issue, especially for girls. Outdoor Leadership Skills: By participating in outdoor adventures you will interact with the environment and learn teamwork, respect, resilience and how to challenge yourself through positive risk taking. UWC Capstone Project: There will be a final project presentation as a team, where participants will share what they have learned to a panel. Fun and Connection: With over 50 years of experience, the UWC movement brings an international understanding to its communities through sharing traditions and cultures from around the world.
“This short course made me a better person for sure. It was amazing to make friends from all over the world.” - Participant from Brazil
Sample Schedule // Typical Day 7am 8am 11:45am 1 - 4pm 4 - 4:30pm 4:30 - 6pm 6pm 7 – 9pm 9 – 10pm
Breakfast Service work with Mariposa girls or other service partner Lunch and reflection time Outdoor Activities / Visiting local sites Community Service* Drive back to Blue Moon Free time Dinner UWC Project/Evening Activity**
Free Time
10:00pm
In room
11:00pm
Lights Out
Activities may change based on weather, safety and other external factors. *Some days will be full days of outdoor activities and/or cultural enrichment. ** Some evenings will include cultural activities and talks.
Excursion Day 7:00am Breakfast 7:40am Depart for trip 12:00pm Lunch at site 5:00pm Leave site for home 6:00pm Dinner 7 - 9pm Journal/film/discussion time
Experience Adventures of a lifetime!
“I saw and experienced so many new things that gave me new perspective.� - Participant from Norway
Alongside the short course curriculum there will be outdoor adventure activities and daily volunteer work. Opportunities including: volunteering at a local school, organic farm and at the Mariposa Center for Girls, or participating in yoga, surfing, stand up paddle-boarding and beach volleyball.
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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Located in the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic is in the middle of a hurricane belt and is currently ranked the 10th most vulnerable country in the world to climate change. The country is at increased risk for tropical storms, hurricanes, sea level rise, and flooding. In fact, floods are the most frequent climate-related hazard in the country. Cabarete is a coastal community in northern Dominican Republic. With the Atlantic Ocean to the north and a lagoon as the community’s southern border, the town and its population is particularly vulnerable. 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 km2, about twice the size of New Hampshire Population: 10.7 million Popular Pastimes: Baseball, merengue, dominoes, cockfights Main Exports: Sugar, tobacco, cocoa, coffee Climate: Tropical, warm year-round with seasonal variations in rainfall •
The DR has the largest economy in Central America and the Caribbean
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The city with the 2nd largest population of Dominicans, after Santo Domingo, is New York City. The third is Santiago.
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The DR is the only country in the world with the Bible on its flag.
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Members of the armed forces and police are not allowed to vote.
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POVERTY IN PARADISE The Dominican Republic is a beautiful country with diverse landscapes and warm, welcoming people. However it is also a developing nation, with many deep-rooted issues. •
The DR is ranked 22th in the world for child marriage.
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The education system in the DR produces the lowest outcomes in Latin America and the Caribbean and some of the lowest in the world. According to the most recent results of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the DR finished 66th and last out of 70 countries in reading and math, respectively.
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The unemployment rate for women in the DR (22%) is more than double the rate for men (9%); and women make 44% less than men for equal work.
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Girls from the poorest quintile in the DR are nearly eight times more likely to become teen mothers than girls from the richest quintile.
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43% of women who completed less than four years of primary school become adolescent mothers as compared to 13% of women who completed secondary or higher education.
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40% of the Dominican population lives in poverty. This is higher than the rate in 2000 (32%).
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The DR has very low economic mobility with less than 2% of the population moving to a higher economic group over the past decade compared to a regional average of 41%.
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PARTNERSHIPS MADE TO LAST Working with The Mariposa DR Foundation is a transformative, educational experience in which students participate in service, excursions and discussions, complimented by readings and films that reflect Dominican and Haitian culture, environmental science and relevant social issues in the region. With a thoughtfully curated curriculum taught by an expert staff, we create a robust experiential learning journey, centered around cultural immersion, where students learn to honor the ways of others, learn from the wisdom and views of people living in extreme poverty, and see the world through a different lens. Experiential and service 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 service learning included in our innovative curriculum design. Our partnerships, like the one we cherish with UWC (United World Colleges), brings opportunities for more high quality education directly to the girls we serve here in the Dominican Republic. We know that the experiences we provide 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 these relationships.
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“I don’t think I had fully realized the extent of some of the issues we talked about. Through this short course I became more aware. - Participant from Venezuela
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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 beachside town of Cabarete, Dominican Republic, Mariposa currently serves more than 150 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. Our efforts to end the cycle of generational poverty by empowering young girls depend on raising international awareness of the struggles girls face in the developing world. There is no better way to raise awareness than to bring volunteers from around the world to see firsthand the work that we are doing. We pride ourselves on being a premier provider of educational tours. In fact, our founder and executive director was a pioneer in bringing eco-tourism to the north coast of the Dominican Republic, and for decades has been using that experience to develop what we believe are the best community engaged learning programs available anywhere. Our expert guides are a mix of locals and Americans who have years of experience leading student groups in the Dominican Republic.
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STAFF MIRIAM ORELLANA, BOLIVIAN
Pearson College UWC of the Pacific, class of 1987 President of the UWC Dominican Republic National Committee Miriam has more than 20 years of experience working in development and program management in a variety of capacities. She is fluent in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese. A 1987 graduate of UWC Pearson’s College, she has served on the UWC National Committee in Bolivia and is the current President of the Dominican Republic National Committee. Originally from Bolivia, Miriam has lived in the Dominican Republic for over 5 years.
PATRICIA SURIEL, AMERICAN
Founder & Executive Director, The Mariposa DR Foundation Patricia Thorndike Suriel has been passionate about alleviating extreme poverty in the Dominican Republic since 1992 when she first arrived on the island of Hispaniola. Beginning with collecting donations of a few books through her adventure travel company, Iguana Mama, she then joined with friends and volunteers to create the first educational nonprofit, The DREAM Project, in Cabarete. After serving the Cabarete community and advocating for equal access to quality education for more than 15 years, Suriel recognized a critical need for innovative programs specifically for girls. In 2009 Suriel founded The Mariposa DR Foundation. Today, the Mariposa Center for Girls serves more than 150 girls ages 8-21 and their families.
YARITZA TERRERO, HAITIAN-DOMINICAN
UWC Costa Rica, class of 2019
Yaritza is a 2019 graduate of the UWC Costa Rica. A Mariposa for 9 years, Yaritza was a 2017 Rise Up Scholar. Yaritza is no stranger to hardships. She grew up in a large Dominican-Haitian household shared by 14 family members, several of whom are also Mariposas. She understands first hand what it takes to rise out of extreme poverty. Yaritza loves to write and has dreams of publishing a book. A strong athlete, Yaritza loves tennis, swimming, surfing and softball. When back home in Cabarete, she teaches cycling, dance and reading at Mariposa. She is a true UWC and Mariposa Ambassador.
HARRIET TROWER, BRITISH
Environmental Ambassador
Harriet Trower is a British Geography graduate from the University of Leeds. Since graduating in 2011 she has taken courses in Environmental Management, Community Development, Herbal Medicine and a life changing Permaculture Design Course. Her love for the natural environment started young from helping her parents and grandparents in their allotments. She was fascinated by the growing process, and enjoyed harvesting and cooking what she had sowed herself! In 2017 she became a Forest School leader in the UK, and is keen to spread the empowering student led learning approach.
YAFREISY VARGAS, DOMINICAN
UWC Costa Rica, class of 2019
Jafreisy is a 2019 graduate of the UWC Costa Rica. A Mariposa for 8 years, Jafreisy was a 2017 Rise Up Scholar. Jafreisy has a keen interest in social justice, environmental issues and is a stellar athlete with a love for dance and water sports. A natural leader, Jafreisy has become an incredible mentor to the younger Mariposa girls, teaching surfing, swimming and dance when she is back in her hometown of Cabarete. She is a true UWC and Mariposa ambassador. 14 | UWC Short Course in partnership with The Mariposa DR Foundation
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ACCOMMODATIONS
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BLUE MOON RETREAT
Our hosts for this shortcourse are Dr. Gideon Plaut and Eneyda Reyes and their children at Blue Moon Retreat.
THE FACILITY INCLUDES: • ACCOMMODATIONS • PRIVATE POOL • RESTAURANT • NATURAL SETTING Making it an ideal place to learn and study!
ON-SITE HOSTS
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Dining At our 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, mangos.
“It was incredibly educational and inspiring. I won’t ever forget this short course.” - Participant from Italy
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COURSE DETAILS M aximum number of participants: 36
DATE:
JUNE 30 - JULY 11, 202O
COST: $2,600 USD PER PERSON LOCATION:
NORTH COAST, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
AGES: 15 - 19
WE WELCOME APPLICANTS WHO IDENTIFY AS WOMEN TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN CHANGING THE WORLD
APPLY TODAY DEADLINE TO APPLY IS MARCH 1, 2020.
UWC@MARIPOSADRFOUNDATION.ORG MARIPOSADRFOUNDATION.ORG
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