There Many Opportunities For You To Get Involved In The Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica and Kenya
Participation Opportunities
Partners in Healthcare
We create opportunities for individuals and groups to provide direct medical care and health education to Dominican and Haitian communities in partnership with local physicians and medical staff.
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Nurses enjoying their healthcare experience in the Dominican Republic
Persons from all medical specialties are needed, and those with expertise across the many allied health professions are encouraged to participate. Specific opportunities include:
1. Nurses: Multiple trips per year are scheduled, and we are prepared to accept additional nursing schools and groups of nurses. Our intent is to have groups of nurses in country on a monthly basis (except during the summer months) to enable the care of not only acute diseases, but also management of chronic disease and monitoring and support of child development. Please click here to download a description of nursing mission trip programs in PDF format.
Please click here to download a copy of a recent publication by Dr. Axley describing our nursing trips in PDF format.
2. Physicians: We are prepared to schedule trips with groups of physicians who want to provide medical care in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. All specialties are needed and we have Dominican and Haitian physicians who are prepared to work together with you. In addition, visits and lecture opportunities at Dominican Republic medical centers can be arranged.
3. Occupational therapists: We have had interest from a number of OT's in the USA. If you are interested in serving as a co-leader of such a group, please contact Ken in the manner noted below.
If you are interested in participating in the "Partners in Healthcare" program, please contact ken@foundationforpeace.org or call 973-813-6122.
Partners in Education
This program provides a number of opportunities for participation. Trips are available for educators and college students studying education to experience a cross-cultural exchange with educators and college students in the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Kenya.
There are also opportunities to sponsor and help support individual elementary schools and their students in the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Kenya through the Dominikids, Haitikids and Kenyakids programs. In addition, the "Advance Education" program provides much needed financial support for High school and College students. Each of these sponsorship programs provides educational opportunities to students who would not be attending school otherwise, from preschool through graduate school. For more information contact wendy@foundationforpeace.org.
Sponsor a Student
These programs enable non-schooled children and adults to attend school by providing tuition assistance and supplies. Donations of educational materials including backpacks, one-subject notebooks, pens, pencils, crayons, maps (Spanish), and Spanish classroom books are also needed. Children in the Dominikids, Haitikids and Kenyakids elementary school program can be sponsored for just $12.50 per month ($150 per year) and students in the Advance Education (high school and college level) program can be sponsored for $30 per month ($360 per year).
Click here to download an Education brochure, or click here to go to the online sponsorship application.
Raising funds in US schools to support children in these programs is also an excellent way to involve US students in helping others abroad and expanding their understanding of other children and their lives in developing countries. For example, classes have had Skype calls with their “sister” classes in the Dominican Republic and exchanged book marks and notes.
If you are interested in participating in the "Partners in Education" program, please contact wendy@foundationforpeace.org.
Economic Development
We can use your assistance in marketing handcrafted items produced by Dominican, Haitian and Kenyan women and men. Retailers, churches and individuals can sell the items, thereby providing an income for families. Any proceeds derived by the Foundation for Peace from their sale are used for poverty relief projects in their communities. The list of items is growing.
If you are interested in participating in the "Economic Development" program, please contact ken@foundationforpeace.org.
Summer Mission Trips
A variety of churches and other groups from the U.S. participate in mission trips co-led by Foundation for Peace staff members each year. While most occur in the summer, they can be scheduled throughout the year. In 2009, the Foundation for Peace led nearly 20 trips to serve hand in hand with the people in the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Kenya.
These multi-faceted trips are focused on developing relationships with the people with whom we work and serve. Typical activities include construction (e.g. schools, clinics, water purification systems and churches), provision of medical care, and educational programs (e.g. disease prevention, games). For church-based groups, evangelism and children's Bible school programs are also included.
If you are interested in participating in the "Summer Mission trip" program, please contact ken@foundationforpeace.org, to download an information sheet in PDF format click here, or sign up online on this web site at mission trips application
Fall, Winter and Spring Mission Trips
Church and non-church groups from the United States can schedule fall, winter and spring mission trips under the leadership of Foundation for Peace staff. These trips are multi-faceted focused on developing friendships with the Dominicans, Jamaicans and/or Haitians including construction, medical care and educational programs. While the summer programs are all Christian mission trips, trips in the fall, winter and spring may or may not be, depending upon which group is organizing them. The cost will also vary depending upon the length of the trip and the type of construction project.
If you are interested in participating in the "Fall, Winter and Spring Mission Trips" program, please contact ken@foundationforpeace.org.
Partners in Ministry
This program provides for cultural exchange between pastors and church leaders from abroad with those in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica and Kenya. Field education opportunities are also available for seminary and college students.
If you are interested in participating in the "Partners in Ministry" program, please contact calloway@foundationforpeace.org.
Fundraising Opportunities
Latrine Construction
In rural areas of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, many people not only lack clean drinkable water, but also sanitary facilities. As a result, they have to take care of basic needs in unhealthy ways such as using sugar cane fields. For $400, you can provide a desperately needed latrine (outhouse) or a septic tank for a group of families. A share of the latrine construction cost is $40.
Clean Water Systems
The burden of illness in the poorest communities is significant. Much of the infectious illness can be eliminated through the provision of clean, affordable water. There are a number of ways that you can get involved in clean water projects.
- In the Dominican Republic and Haiti we have focused on installing systems in local churches that provide clean water to entire community for a small fee (about 30 cents per 5 gallons). Because these high volume systems not only remove all infectious agents, but also heavy metals and toxins in the water, they expensive to start-up, but are financially self-sustaining. One of these clean water system costs $20,000 (a share of the cost is $500 each) and not only makes hundreds of people healthier, but also provides jobs and funds for additional community projects. Please consider sponsoring all or part of a water system.
- In Kenya, the economics of water purification are much different and water filtration systems like we use in the Dominican Republic would not be sustainable in the slums around Nairobi. As a result, we are working with the Eastleigh Presbyterian Church in Nairobi, who has developed an inexpensive water filtration system that can be purchased and used on a individual family basis. These units cost about $30 and will last for 3 years.
Provision of Healthcare
In addition, chronic illness plagues many, especially the elderly, who lack access to basic healthcare. The Foundation has opened two full-time medical clinics (in San Miguel and Tres Brazos) to serve the needy in the Dominican Republic and we would like to open one in Pantoja. We are seeking funding for physician and nurse salaries, medical supplies and medications for these three clinics at a cost of $800 per month per clinic (a share of the cost for one week is $200).
Eliminate Leprosy and Prevent Malaria
Leprosy is still a threat. We are working in cooperation with Dominican scientists and healthcare workers on a program for early diagnosis and prevention of leprosy. Diagnosis, general medical care and nutritional assistance will be provided; screening is a mere $10 per person. Net Benefits is a malaria-prevention and education program we are offering in cooperation with community leaders and government officials to purchase, deliver and install mosquito netting and window screens.