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CWS Speak Out
Visit to Haiti and the Dominican Republic
Julia Jones and Kari Davidson recently participated in a trip to Haiti and the Dominican Republic, to see Church World Service programs at work. They are both available to speak about their experiences. Julia was touched by the experiences shared by many beneficiaries of CWS programs, but this one stood out to her.
Life can be harsh for children in the Dominican Republic, but trainings given by Church World Service partner Social Service of Dominican Churches (SSID) are helping many kids have a happier childhood and a brighter future. Didela Jimenez Hernandez, a young mother in the village of Los Orozcos, says, “I used to hit my child a lot. I didn’t know other ways to discipline my child. But through the trainings I’ve learned to show more love.”
In Los Orozcos, twenty-two women have participated in the training. They’ve learned about the importance of hygiene, of good nutrition, of dressing their children in clean clothes, of cleaning children’s fingernails to avoid illness, of purifying drinking water to avoid parasites, and how important play is for children. Healthier habits learned now will lead to increased chances of success for the children as they grow and become adults and provide for their children.
Didela continues, “I’ve learned not to let my son go barefoot and to supervise him better so he doesn’t roam free. I’ve also learned about the importance of getting a birth certificate for my son, because someday he may want to travel.”
Some children in the Dominican Republic are not given names at birth, due to a high infant mortality rate, but the trainings emphasize that every child has a right to a name. Many children from rural areas do not have birth certificates, but mothers are also encouraged to register their children so they can be recognized by the government. Many of the topics covered in the trainings are guided by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
 In the rural community of Los Orozcos, Dominican Republic, Didela Jimenez Hernandez cuddles her three-year-old son, Angelo. Both Didela and Angelo have benefited from training sessions given by CWS partner SSID to women in rural communities.
Photo: Julia Jones
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In Los Orozcos, twenty-two women have participated in the training. They’ve learned about the importance of hygiene, of good nutrition, of dressing their children in clean clothes, of cleaning children’s fingernails to avoid illness, of purifying drinking water to avoid parasites, and how important play is for children. Healthier habits learned now will lead to increased chances of success for the children as they grow and become adults and provide for their children.
Didela continues, “I’ve learned not to let my son go barefoot and to supervise him better so he doesn’t roam free. I’ve also learned about the importance of getting a birth certificate for my son, because someday he may want to travel.”
Some children in the Dominican Republic are not given names at birth, due to a high infant mortality rate, but the trainings emphasize that every child has a right to a name. Many children from rural areas do not have birth certificates, but mothers are also encouraged to register their children so they can be recognized by the government. Many of the topics covered in the trainings are guided by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.