Gender Equality Dominican Republic Project #6980

Unleash the Leader in a Girl

by The Mariposa DR Foundation

Project Report | Mar 1, 2016
The Mariposa girls are rock stars!

By Sarah Fisher | Administrative Director

The Mariposa girls on the beach in Punta Cana!

Dear Friends,

This February the Mariposa Girls had the experience of a lifetime – they were invited to perform in front of 1,800 people at an all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana to spread the word about the world’s most powerful force for change, girls!

Most girls in poverty will never have the chance to visit a 5-star hotel, but tourism is the number one industry in the Dominican Republic and therefore the largest job market. This trip was only the beginning of our hospitality program, in which the Mariposa girls will gain the necessary skills to work in the industry. The girls got a full tour of the hotel and took advantage of the pools, magic shows and other activities they never knew existed. These girls are the stars of the Mariposa Girls Leadership Program and one day will be leaders in the field of hospitality.

After months of hard work rehearsing song and dance routines, 30 Mariposa girls went on an all expenses paid field trip to an all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana. When they strutted out onto the huge stage in front of the large audience they didn’t falter, they wowed the crowd with their performance and brought staff and guests alike to tears. To see one of the songs they performed, check out this video.

The girls shone as the rock stars they are: singing and dancing and leading the crowd participation. They later had the chance to mingle with the guests in a smaller setting, practicing their English and overcoming cultural barriers to talk about Mariposa’s work. You couldn’t tell that the girls had never been in this environment before as they laughed and enjoyed the resorts amenities. Many of them had never been on an elevator before or seen so much food available to eat.

The Mariposa Girls were grateful for the opportunity to shine and discover new possibilities for their future. It just goes to show what can happen if you unleash the leader in a girl! Thank you for making this possible.

With gratitude,

The girls, families, staff and volunteers at The Mariposa Center for Girls

The Mariposa girls wowing the crowd!

Rock stars!

Enjoying the pools!

Links:

Mariposa Website

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Dec 3, 2015
Empowering Girls Through Exchanging Cultures

By Jessica Lawson | Cofounder

Cultural Exchange

Dear Friends,

Cultural exchange and education is a core component of our program at Mariposa. We believe that by exposing our girls to other cultures, we can help them grow to be global citizens with a greater understanding of the world around them. This November, during Native American Heritage Month, we were fortunate enough to host two amazing representatives from the Navajo and Apache Nations right here in the Dominican Republic! Radmilla Cody, of the Tla'a'schi'i' (Red Bottom People) clan, is a Grammy award nominee and domestic abuse survivor and advocate and Mary Kim Titla, San Carlos Apache, is a Native American youth advocate, 20 year veteran TV newscaster and former school administrator.

Radmilla and Mary Kim spent a week at The Mariposa Center sharing their cultures with the girls. It was an extremely enriching experience for both parties as the parallels between the struggles of indigenous people on reservations and the struggles of growing up in poverty in Cabarete created powerful connections. The Mariposa girls of all ages participated in identity and coming of age workshops, crafting circles and music and dance classes. Together, they shared recipes, music, dances, language, traditional clothing and cultural practices.

It was an amazing week full of sharing and understanding of indigenous cultures in the US with the Mariposa girls. They were left with a greater understanding of the situation of indigenous people in the US and the power of Radmilla and Mary Kim's personal struggles. Our visitors' final day at the center was very emotional as we say farewell to both of them and to an incredibly rich, cultural experience. An unforgettable week for everyone involved.

Experiences like this empower girls by showing them that they matter, and that they too have the power to build solidarity and support for all girls and women across the globe. These life changing experiences are only possible because of your generosity and we thank you for your support.

With gratitude,

The girls, families, volunteers and staff at The Mariposa DR Foundation

Radmilla and Mary Kim

Group Photo

Links:

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Aug 25, 2015
What a great summer!

By Jessica Lawson | Cofounder

Summer Camp!

Dear Friends,

This summer has been full of many great accomplishments and some challenges. We have seen remarkable personal growth in all of our girls and have had the privilege of working with so many talented and dedicated volunteers. Summer programs were in full effect from June 8th to July 30th, offering more than 20 different activities for all 150 girls. From theater to pottery, swimming, reading, math, gardening, sports, surfing, sewing, kayaking, hiking, field trips and more, our girls were extremely busy! In addition to all of the group activities, private one on one tutoring sessions were available for the last three weeks of the program to ensure that all of the girls who need extra help are ready to keep up when the school year begins.

Keeping the older girls, ages 15 and up, engaged is always one of our greatest challenges. It is much easier to get younger girls to participate in group activities, but as we all know, things get a bit more difficult as they grow up. Our staff and volunteers work extremely hard with our older girls to ensure that they are able to pursue their individual passions and discover their strengths. The older girls were able to participate in an urban art workshop, culinary classes, book clubs, mediation workshops and intense English courses throughout the entire summer. More often than not, these specialized activities are a great success, however sometimes we struggle with finding the time, resources and talent to do it all. Most importantly, we continue to try new things, listen, and learn from our successes and our failures. We listen to each individual girl and do our best to create a unique plan for her that will keep her motivated and attending regularly.

The summer ended on a high note with the 2nd Annual Mariposa Surf Competition where 20 of our girls participated in a spirited, healthy competition. All of the girls, and many community members and partners came out to the beach that day to cheer them on. It's hard to believe that just a few years ago, there were virtually no Dominican or Haitian girls that even knew how to swim, let alone compete in water sports. Now, we're hosting our very own girls' water sport event! 16 year old Yafreisy says, "With Mariposa I learned to swim and now I love to be out on the ocean. It's the only place I can feel completely calm and free". It's the small wins like this that give us the confidence that what we're doing is working, and that because of our work together, lives are changing. More than anything, we are beyond grateful for your partnership in continuing to serve the girls in our community.

Happy summer!

The girls, families, staff and volunteers at The Mariposa DR Foundation

Surfer Girls

Links:

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