Mariposa Project: Dominican Republic- Fund for Teachers: El Primer Día

Today was the first day of our Mariposa Girls Summer Leadership Program. Last night, we held a potluck to welcome all of our teachers and volunteers. When Tricia spoke about the girls and the community that we are serving, I think that a few of us became a little misty. The problems here for women seem insurmountable at times: poverty, poor health, sex tourism, and prostitution. But we are here to serve the girls, and they came today, ready to work, to learn, to smile, and to enjoy the summer school that we are all creating together. Different components of our program are coming together, and new ideas are popping up everyday. Today we had assessments in our reading and math classes in order to build an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for each and every student. In health, girls wrote and presented poems about themselves (some quite shyly!) to their classmates and new teachers. Our community and family outreach coordinators began to work with the mothers who are volunteering full-time in our program. We are starting to build a library for the school. The girls enjoyed their fruit and yogurt for breakfast, their bandera for lunch, and all of the cold ice water they wanted! And most importantly, teachers and students are learning from one another and building a culture of respect for women and their educations. por Jenny

The young ladies arrived with their registration cards. After giving their names and addressed, they received a t-shirt and water bottle.

Torii helps the girls write their names on the front of their t-shirts. The shirts say: Soy la fuerza más potente para cambiar el mundo. I am the world's most powerful force for change.