*Donations for school supplies to children of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo area*
Thank you so much for your interest in providing a donation to the beautiful, deserving and underprivileged children of the Dominican Republic. We appreciate your generosity!
Our Background
There are a couple of charitable organizations collecting donations and distributing them in Punta Cana and Puerto Plata for the children of those areas. I asked these groups if they would service the south coast as well and was told that they needed to hold an annual meeting first and would get back to me. I heard nothing further from them. That bureaucracy was a disappointment so I attempted to arrange something that would allow help to be channeled to the needy in the capital and south coast as quickly as possible. In November 2005 I contacted Sr. Rafael Silva for purposes of arranging an airport transfer. Through our communication I felt Sr. Silva’s compassion and generosity and asked him if he would be willing to have his drivers undertake the collection of donations for distribution to the south. Ours is a small organization comprised of just Sr. Rafael Silva and his company in the Dominican Republic and me doing what I can from Canada. There is no middle-man and no bureaucracy! We are not an organized charitable organization, but are volunteers with a passion for serving these children in need of help with the help of people like you. It is astounding what caring those on vacation can achieve! We gratefully acknowledge the generosity of travelers who have donated to date. The campaign has been successful so far, but we need more.
Our Objective
We provide donated supplies to a number of schools (including an orphan school) in the Santo Domingo area, and clothing to an orphanage. Pictures of donation distributions from 2006 are posted at Donations 2006. I was fortunate to go on my first distribution in March of 2007. The pictures of that visit to the orphanage and a school are posted at Donations March 2007. Having seen the pictures in the collection from 2006 I thought I was prepared for what I would encounter but even I was astonished at the reality of it. Many of us choose or chose to cut classes or hope for a power failure so school will be cancelled, while these children attend school with no electricity at all and where they are sitting elbow to elbow. The depth of need is clearly apparent.
The children at the orphanage are a big family
"6 month old Julianna arrived at the orphanage when she was 3 months old"
"The children at the orphanage are delighted with t of donated schools supplies
and backpacks!"
"The talented and spirited children performed an enchanting collection of songs
for us, with dance! Please take a look at a portion of one that can be viewed at
Performance at the orphanage"
"The school—can you see the children inside the door? The cases are the
donated materials we are bringing"
"The children at the school— learning under the most difficult circumstances"
How You Can Help?
Sr. Silva accumulates school supplies donations until he has enough for every child in the school at one time, and only takes school supply items that are easily shared amongst the students or classes in a school. This is the list that we use as a guide:
Pencils, Erasers, Pens, Crayons, Sharpeners, Coloring books, Markers, Notebooks (particularly necessary right now), Sporting equipment like balls of all kinds, bats, gloves, etc., Toys
Spanish books are required, but English books and teaching aids may be used if they have strong graphics or are at an introductory level. English is taught for an hour a week to the older children.
"The van is loaded entirely with donated supplies! Ready to head to the school
and orphange"
Collection of Donations—which you bring with you…
Please mark your box(es) or bag(s) with "Rafael Silva" so that there is no confusion at pick up. You can leave the package at the front desk of your hotel or with the concierge or bellmen and the collection will happen as easily as that. All we need from you is the hotel that you will be visiting and the dates that you will be traveling. We will arrange to have a driver come to the hotel for your donated items. If you arrange an airport transfer or tour with Dominican Airport Transfers, the driver can take the donations at that time. Couldn't be easier and couldn't be more appreciated!
Collection of Donations—cash donations by PayPal…
For those short of luggage space or with a desire to help where it is most needed, we are also able to accept cash donations to apply toward a uniform fund (all children require a uniform to attend school) or the purchase of required furniture and maintenance of a school, or food for the orphanage. We will accept cash donations ONLY by way of PayPal. If you require further information about PayPal or making a cash donation, please contact us.
You can easily register for a secure PayPal account and make a safe and easy transfer by following this link:
We ask that you please offer a comment in the box provided if you have a preferred allocation for your funds (i.e., uniform, school supplies, food for the orphanage, medicine, etc.) as well as informing us as to the name you would like to use for record keeping or if you prefer to remain anonymous. The amounts collected and the expenditure of cash donations will be posted here. You can check back or contact us to see how your donation was used.
Sr. Silva is an extremely hard-working businessman with an excellent reputation in the Dominican Republic.
He takes the time out of his workday and away from his family to organize the pick up and storage of the supplies, and makes it a family affair when he, his wife and young daughter go on a distribution. The work is made possible since the family chooses to place great priority on this project!
Thank you for taking the time to consider providing the children of Santo Domingo with the much needed tools to get an education and the opportunity of a future free from poverty. For your thoughtfulness, you deserve the greatest vacation ever!
Patricia Ulan
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada
Edition contributed by: Patricia Ulan
Site designed by: Rafael Silva
Visit our Forum at: http://silvatours.proboards31.com/index.cgi
Sponsored by: Dominican Airport Transfers.
