Caminante participates in the FIRST INTERNATIONAL CROP WALK in the Dominican Republic.

Julia Alverez, author of “In the Time of the Butterflies,” from the Dominican Republic teaches at Middlebury College in Vermont. She participated in a CROP walk there and after realizing that Church World Service supports several projects in the DR she became interested in hosting the first International CROP walk in her sustainable organic coffee farm in the mountains of the DR.

Yesterday Caminante traveled together with Servicios Sociales de la Iglesia Dominicana, (Social Services of Dominican Churches), to the mountains in Jarabacoa to walk in solidarity in the struggle against hunger and poverty in the world.

I have participated in many CROP walks with my church and community growing up, but this was by far the most powerful and unforgettable. The idea of a CROP walk is to bring people of different faiths, cultures, and ages together to walk in solidarity with the oppressed and marginalized. The slogan “we walk because they walk” took a whole new level of meaning. We hiked through the hills of los Marranitos, a little country village in the mountains, and as we walked children and different people from the communities joined in the walk. As walking one of the local coffee farmers described to me the entire process of coffee production and taught me names of different plants and fruit trees native to that area. We were accompanied by different volunteers from Europe and the US, the young girl who organized the event is from India working as a volunteer for a year in this community. And the hike ended with each organization sharing of the work that they are doing in different communities, sharing of food and listening to a local Haitian musical group playing traditional country music. Relationships were established, information was shared. It was truly an inspiring mix up different cultures, faiths and ages all recognizing that we are in this struggle together.

The CROP walk is to raise awareness and funds to support many different projects and programs around the US and the World. Caminante and SSID are just two of those programs that are supported through CWS. In this country it is the poor who walk. We work with children that every day walk miles to get water for their family, then walk 20 minutes to get to school and then after walking back to their homes continue walking selling sweets to the tourists on the beach. In the country town where the walk took place most people do not have a vehicle and if they need to go to town, to the market, visit a doctor they must walk miles to get to town. The name Caminante means ‘to walk the path’ or ‘the walking ones’ developed by the first children in which Caminante worked because they were always walking. The symbolism of walking together in the first international CROP walk was inspirational and powerful and a great experience of solidarity with this international Community Responding to Overcome Poverty.

Community Kids that walked with us

Climbing rather steep hills

Leaders and participants from SSID

Learn more about Church World Services and the CROP walk

Primary Elections

Sunday was the Primary elections for the PRD (Dominican Revolutionary Party). I had the privilege to travel around with a very politically motivated friend and observe the process.

There were many differences from the form in which the ballot was to the not so discreet corrupution. The ballots had over a hundred names and each persons picture. Since there is such a high iliteracy rate pictures are a better way of insuring that the person knows who they are voting for.

The voting booths consisted of wooden bed frames up against a wall so others couldn't see who were voting for or large pieces of cardboard. As the day progressed and the heat people became very anxious and frustrated waiting long hours in the lines. This started to cause problems. On top of their frustations it seems Dominicans in general use anything exciting going on as an excuse to drink excessibly. So, the voting sites because party sites. People just hanging around outside and drinking. The alcohol combined with political tension and heat just opened doors for conflict. I was told that since it's the primaries the whole day was much more lax than when they have the elections. I only learned of a few small fights throughout the day.

I was interested in the idea of why all of the parties don't have their primaries on the same day. I was told it's because fights and possibly riots would occur between party memebers. I appreciate the excitement that people have toward their party and support for politics, if only more people were this animated in the US to vote. A friend discussed with me the strong feeling and tensions that people hold during election time and I was made aware that a big difference between the US and Dominican elections is the effect it has on a family. Many people I talked to throughout the day said they would vote for the person that puts food on their table for their children. The apathy that many people haev in the US towards politics I believe comes from a lack of necessity. Here many people have no other hope than to turn to the few people in the community with money and power.

As I walked around with my friend outside the voting polls she passed little pieces of paper with the numbers of different people that they should vote for. At another site there were people standing right by the line of people waiting to vote handing out papers with faces and numbers of the people they should vote for. I then learned that when the party counts the votes at the end of the day they fill in any blank spots with their candidate. All I could do was smile at the broken process.

Voting booth Party Vice President Ballot

One of the biggest issues that I struggle with during my time here is how a society goes about changing when so much is broken. Here is a society that is progressing slowly, but still broken in many levels, micro and macro; Steming from dysfunctional families, problems of abuse and alcohol, to all problems that accompany poverty to the a corrupt government and judicial system. It becomes overwhelming the layers of problems that need to be attacked on an individual level but at the same time in a social, political level.

These are some of the biggest challenges that Caminante faces in their work with children. For example, the street boys. You can take them out of the streets and put them back in their homes but this doesn't change the situation of physical, mental, sexual abuse that occur. You can take them to a home for children, but many are set up to work with the kids and not the entire family. So, they just return to the streets after spending months in the home and then being sent back to their home and recognizing that the situation hasn't changed. It's a slow frustrating process. But that's where I'm forced to look at the small advances and changes that are made and turn to my faith and recognize that all that is being done is part of a process and the only way to continue changing a society.

Things I dislike about the DR....CIENPIES (Centipedes)

We’ve entered the rainy season in the DR. It’s very refreshing on a hot summer day to have a downpour of water to cool you down. The only bad part is that when there’s lots of water the Centipedes enter the houses to escape the water.

I spent last night hanging out with friends. We cooked a lambi dinner with fried plantains. (Lambi is conch, the animal living inside a big sea shell. The shells you put to your ear to listen to the ocean. They sell the conch fresh, right out of the ocean here and after a good seasoning it’s delicious!)

After dinner we were sitting around enjoying conversation and a centipede came crawling/slithering along. I’ve ever seen this big in my life. It was like a snake with 100 feet…GIGANTIC! It had to have been a foot long (no exaggeration). During my past year I’ve killed a hang full in my apartment, but they’ve all been 2-3 cm long. Intimidating, but nothing like this. It looked like something out of a Goosebumps book that I liked as a teenager. I have been informed that when a centipede bites it is venomous and when they are that big it is necessary to go to the hospital.

Fortunately, my friends killed this monstrous centipede right away, but left me with a restless night of sleep. The neighbor’s rooster that always sleeps in the trees right by my window crowing at random times throughout the night, moved slightly and I jump out of bed with fear of a centipede crawling into my bed and biting me.

Centipedes...a part of the DR that I dislike most!

Women leaders

Yesterday was a long day. I love the Dominican Republic, the culture, the food, the relationships that I have developed, the beach. However, sometimes there are cultural differences that I lose patience with and miss home, family, friends, the food, speaking in English, the change of seasons...

Yesterday was one of those days that I was frustrated and at the end of the work day ready to go home and relax, escape the world I'm living in for an evening. But Denisse, my wonderful boss, asked me to go with her and a few women I work with to check out possible spaces for a homework room. Although tired, I accompanied them. What I thought would be just a little bit of time, stopping to see a couple building spaces turned into something completely different.

We met with a group of women leaders from the community, all gathering in a little chapel, although it was really just a piece of concrete with a pavilion style tin roof. It is a Cathlic chapel but the women were proud to explain that they all came from different Christian churches and respect each other for their different beliefs and political views. I found this surprising and wonderful. In this culture it is difficult to find people open-minded.

At first I was rather impatient and wanted Denisse to get down to business; state the reason that we had come (to see the homework room spaces) and then we go on our way. However, that is not that way business works in Dominican culture. We spent a good 30 minutes sitting around talking and eating lemonsillos (their little fruits that are growing on trees now, look like little lemons, delicious!) Then we participated in their meeting of women leaders, talking about the problems in their community, what they want to see change, how they want to see it change. This included the big problem that's in many communities here with education, lack of space in schools, not allowing children to enter school because they are behind or without documents. This included the lack of recreational space for their youth, such as a basketball court or community center, baseball field. The problem of trash. This area is further away from the center of town and where they used to throw the city trash. Although it's improved since the community has grown, there is still big open fields filled with trash, all dirt roads with lots of holes. This were all concerns they addressed and talked about how they have been working to make change and what they will continue to do.

I found it to be an incredibly inspirational meeting. The women ranged from 18 years old to 80 and were all very energetic and passionate about their opinions, they listened to each other and even asked each of us as visitors to express our opinions. I was honored to be among these women. Most of all this gave me hope. I have gotten to know many children from this community. Some shoe shinning boys that come from very economically poor families, children that have participated in the homework room; each of these children behind in school, with learning or behavioral problems and dysfunctional families (abusive, orphans, neglected children, etc.) The children that come from this community I've noticed are generally quicker to start a fight or be aggressive. The women addressed these problems that they see within the family, in their community and how they want to work with the families, educate women, teach them a skill and help them get jobs.

After seeing so many problems among the population of children I saw a sign of home from these woman. Strong, inspired woman that are not just talking of the problems, but working to be the change within their community!

Although I returned to my house 3 hours later than I had hoped, it had been a wonderfully, inspiring experience.

School enrollment

So hear we are in August. Wow the summer passes fast. Here in Caminante we finished summer camp and spent this past Monday evaluating the weeks of camp; what went well, what we can improve for the next summer. After a useful evaluation we enjoyed the afternoon at a beautiful house in a pool overlooking the ocean. It was a fun way to enjoy time with all who helped make the summer camp successful.

School enrollment has begun which means Caminante staff has jumped into action to make sure no kids are left out of school for reasons such as do not have the school uniform, shoes, school supplies, and the biggest problem of all....a birth certificate. There is a law in the Dominican Republic defending the rights of children stating that by law each and everyone has a right to an education regardless of their race, nationality or sex. However, this law is in conflict with another law stating that children without a birth certificate can not enroll in school. So, now that school enrollment has begun we have many children and parents coming to our office informing us that the school won't let the child enroll because they are with out documents.

A large percentage of children here in the DR are do not have a birth certificate. This is for a variety of reasons:

1. The parents are immigrants from Haiti living in the DR without proper documentation and for that reason can not declare their children at birth because they themselves do not have papers as well they live in a fear of deportation. Although the children are born in the DR they are not automatically given a Dominican nationality. (do you see any relation to immigrants in the US?)

2. The parents are unaware that they need to declare the child at birth. This is done separately away from the hospital and costs extra money. Therefore, parents who have no money, are illiterate or do not have documents either do not think to declare their child.

The process to get a child a birth certificate when the parents are of Haitian nationality or do not have a birth certificate themselves is next to impossible and extremely expense. So...Caminante begins the battle with the school directors and district directors fighting for the rights of the children. The battle that children have a right to education and it is obligatory to enroll them in school; meanwhile we will assist the parents and children in beginning the process of first the parents getting their papers and then the children getting a birth certificate.

The other side of the problem is the fact that the schools are overpopulated with children, not enough teachers or classroom space. Therefore, the first and easiest children to reject are those without birth certificates.

Then down the road in the future you have uneducated, undocumented young adults and adults without jobs and with hungry children that are don't have birth certificates and the cycle continues.

At first the problem seems simple, but then it unfolds into a greater systematic problem that has no easy solution. It's overwhelming, frustrating and a challenge. Many children not in school, then they go to the street and that leads to a whole other series of problems.

Where do you begin to see the change? What can we do?

Caminante continues the battle and with their strong presence in the community many children that are normally marginalized and left out of school are in school. There is where we begin to break the cycle. Although it doesn't end there...now that these children are in school we fight the battle of them staying in school. Many enter already behind for their age, with learning problems, with little support from home and with the weight of working outside of school to help support their family. The children in school treat them differently and they often have poor attendance and grades. Here is where the work of Caminante continues; education reinforcement, a constant presence in the life of the children, enrolling them in the homework rooms that work as an educational reinforcement as well as helping children with personal development, working with the families, being a presence in the parts of the city where they are working. And that's only the beginning....

Treasure in Trash

Amazing what beauty can grow amongst such trash.

This could be an illustration describing the lives of many children we work with; beauty learning to survive in such unhealthy environments... amazing what nature and humans can sustain.

This is the flamboya tree, the tree of the Dominican Republic. They're everywhere now and in full bloom...absolutely beautiful...even when found growing out of a trash dump.

Day two of Summer Camp

Day Two: Summer Camp Andres

(Snack Time)

Our group doubled in size today. We had 47 children the first day, today close to 80 arrived ready to have fun... You can only imagine working with 80, 7-9 year olds (some bringing their little siblings 5-6 years old)...Beautiful Chaos is the only words I can think of to describe it! Each day we work with a theme with each group. There are children and youth attending the summer camp between the ages of 7-17 years old. Today's Theme: Children's Rights. A theme with great importance here in a country where most children's rights are abused at some point in their lives. What a great opportunity to begin teaching this theme to children at such a young age! It was beautiful to watch all 80 curious faces as we talked about how they each have the right to equality, health, a name and nationality, to have a healthy diet and live in a healthy environment withh a loving family, to recieve a proper education, be protected in times of emergencies and disasters, to be protected from labor exploitation, to enjoy a clean environment, to enjoy recreation and have the opportunity to express your opinion.

Many of the children here are subject to working in the home and outside of the home at some point during their adolescence. Although my group are a little young to be working, many of them will probably work before they are 15 years old; selling sweets on the beach, housework at home, etc.

(Yesica teaching about their Rights)



After an overview of the theme people from the city health department came and talked about how you get parasites and what you need to do to prevent them. Then each were given an anti-paracite pill to help kill any bacteria they may have. This was excellent because most children here have parasites at some point that enter through bare-feet, playing in the dirt, sand, eating unclean vegetables/fruit. I have even been subject to this awful bacteria since living here...it's not fun.

(Health department giving parasite pill)



(Coloring pictures about healthy diets)

My favorite part of the day today was arts and crafts time...we talked about how all children have the right to equality but are different at the same time. Then did a painting in which you put drops of paint in the middle of a piece of paper, fold it and it turns out to look like a butterfly, but all very different! The kids loved it...and I'm sure their parents did too when they showed up at home with more paint on them then on the paper...

(Our helper for the weak Charline, leading the group in interactive song)

Campamento

Summer Camp began today.

I helped with the 7-9 year old group. We had 47 little ones in our group and three leaders...you can only imagine the chaos. Today was just enrollment, snack and playing. Tomorrow will be more organized with a schedule.

My favorite part of the day was during free time. I saw a bunch of the kids from my group throwing sticks, stones, whatever they could find into a huge tree, probably 20-30 feet high. I pictured a big stick being chucked into the eye of one of the little ones...

Once I got closer and asked why they were throwing everything, I learned it was an Almond tree. I'd never seen an almond tree. There have these fruits that aren't very good but once broken open you get to the almond inside. Each and every one of these little kids were very aware of the delicious nut inside and that it was well worth the effort of attempting to through a stick 30 feet into the air to get the perfectly yellow ripe ones from the top.

Of course after this I wanted to get some down as well. After the kids realized I was fascinated they all started throwing thing into the air, mashing the fruit and handing me the almonds with there very dirty hands from all this work. One after another until I had a hand full of almonds!

In northeastern Ohio there's no such thing as almond trees nor would any of the children have any idea how we get those delicious almonds that we've all eaten. Although I was planning on teaching the kids today during the summer camp, it seems I learned more. I learned about almond trees come and how we get them down from a huge tree! Who knows what I'll learn tomorrow!

Summer heat is here

I will never complain of summer heat in Ohio. The oppressing heat of the Caribbean is only livable in the shade close to the ocean with the refreshing ocean breeze. Fortunately, Boca Chica is a beach town making the beach easily accessible to escape the heat!

Now that school has finished the population of children in the streets of Boca Chica rises. My summers during my elementary years were spent sleeping more, swimming at the city pool, family vacations, church camp, vacation Bible school, community day camps that were offered, and playing different sports. This was all crucial to my development as a young girl.

For the children here in Boca Chica it's very different. It means less activities and more time to work. Many of the children in our programs are working children. Without school they send more time in the streets working to help support their families. The kids work shining shoes or selling sweets or snacks to tourists on the beach.

Caminante, as an organization, works to defend and promote the rights of children. We work to make sure these children are not abused while working, but are treated properly. Most importantly we want to insure that the children have the opportunity to recreation as all children deserve.

Therefore we have baseball practices, have multiple young boys in the city youth baseball leagues, are offering computer classes, planning summer camp, providing lunches for the boys and using that time to talk about a theme or simply be a positive influence and friendly face.

With the support of Caminante children that come by bus daily to work in the center of town are offered a hot meal and a cool glass of water, a safe space to rest and a staff they can trust in case of problems.

Without Caminante many of these children would not have the formative programs that are crucial to all child development.