I N F O R M A T I O N B O O K DOMINICAN TEAM
JOEL VICIOSO National Program Manager [email protected] 1.829.708.7449
RADHAMES CARELA Technical Advisor [email protected] 809.818.8274
MILLY LORA Field Coordinator Milly@wine towater.org 849.217.7879
FANY DOMINGUEZ Administrative Manager [email protected] 829.943.3289
CORY ACRI International Fellow Cory@winet owater.org 829.741.0863 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC PROJECT OVERVIEW
P R O J E C T O V E R V I E W
The Dominican Republic is home to Wine To Water's ceramic filter factory, where our team hand-makes and distributes clean water filters. The filters are created from a mixture of clay, sawdust, nanosilver, and water; this results in a porous pot with a layer of activated charcoal to latch on to micro-organisms, and silver to scramble bacterial DNA, prohibiting its reproduction. Every time these filters are distributed, the Wine To Water team teaches the local family or organization how to clean and maintain them for years to come. With proper maintenance, a single filter can provide a family of up to seven people clean water for 5 years. Aside from being a world-class clean water technology, our filters are also used as a platform to teach communities about sanitation and hygiene. Often in the form of hand washing games for kids... okay, adults too... these teaching lessons lay the foundation of behavioral change for healthier lives. 18 A B O U T D O M I N I C A N R E P U B L I C
Population: 10.77 million
Geography: 18,704 square miles - second largest in the Caribbean Climate: The Dominican Republic is generally hot and sunny during the day and rainy in the evening.
Culture: DR culture is a diverse mix from countries all over the world with European, African, and native Taíno influences. The Dominican Republic is the birthplace of the merengue, a latin dance. Baseball is the most popular sport in the country. Family - including extended family - is the basis of Dominican life and culture.
Food: Typical dishes are filled with fresh plantains, meat and rice. Mangú is a common food made of boiled and mashed plantains.
Religion: 57% Roman Catholic, 23% Evangelical, 18% unaffiliated, and 2% other
Language: Spanish with Taíno influence
Currency: You will want to bring clean cash (not torn and no markings). Smaller bills ($20 or less) are preferred. You will want to exchange your money to Dominican Peso, which you can do in the airport or in the city when we go to the market. Credit and Debit cards are rarely accepted, but there are ATM machines available. We do not recommend checks, travelers’ checks or money orders, they are difficult to use! The currency in the D18o minican Republic is Peso. The exchange rate is usually around 49 Peso to $1 USD. We recommend you exchange just a small amount in the airport if needed, but wait until the market because you will get a better exchange rate.
G L O B A L W A T E R S T A T S
844 million people lack even a basic drinking-water service, including 159 million people who are dependent on surface water.
An estimated 2.5 billion people lack access to improved sanitation (more than 35% of the world’s population)
81.6% of the population uses improved drinking water sources (2011, total)
82.3% of the population has access to improved sanitation facilities (2011, total) 19
T Y P I C A L T R I P S C H E D U L E
Day 1 Day 5 PM: Arrive and Team Orientation AM: WaSH Program with Community Children PM: Filter Distribution in Community Day 2 AM: Attend a Local Church Day 6 PM: Culture and City Tour AM: Water Treatment Facility Tour PM: Filter Follow-Up in Community Day 3 AM: Tour of the Factory Day 7 PM: Work in the Factory AM: Waterfall/Beach/Rafting PM: Beach Day 4 AM: Work in the Factory Day 8 PM: Work in the Factory AM: Depart Home
18
VOLUNTEER IMPACT
Volunteers in the Dominican Republic get to experience making the ceramic filters first-hand in the factory. We will teach you what materials go into the filter, show you how to mold them, fire them in the kiln, and then test them for purification. In addition to this, you will have the opportunity to get to know the families that do not have access to clean water and personally distribute water filters to their homes after they go through an educational course. We also follow-up with previous filter beneficiaries to see how the filters have impacted their lives. When giving the gift of clean water, life is instantly simplified and prioritized. It’s an incredible experience. 18 S T E P S T O B E C O M E A V O L U N T E E R
1. Apply on our Volunteer Application.
2. Once accepted, decide on the country in which you want to volunteer: Amazon, Dominican Republic, or Nepal.
3. Choose what dates best fit your schedule for your desired country.
4. Register for your trip using the link provided in your volunteer acceptance email.
5. Start raising money and awareness for your trip! a. Begin your campaign with GiveEffect! After creating your own campaign page under your desired trip, you can share it online to raise donations from family and friends! b. Donations can also be made by check. Please make all checks payable to Wine To Water and personally collect them before sending them into us. When you have the full amount raised, write “Volunteer in YOUR COUNTRY- YOUR NAME” on the memo line of each check and mail it to: Wine To Water-Volunteer Programs/ PO Box 2567/ Boone, NC 28607.
6. Obtain all necessary travel documents (passports and visas). a. Verify that your passport does not expire within 6 months of your departure date, because airlines will not let you on the flight.
18 b. Apply for a visa, if it is required for your trip.
7. We recommend that you talk to your medical provider regarding travel immunizations and vaccines for your specified area of travel. a. Although we do not require immunizations, we highly encourage you to check the cdc.gov for updated information on country specific requirements and also consult your doctor on any special considerations you might need.
8. Have your 100% of your funds submitted on your W|W GiveEffect Campaign page NO LATER THAN 30 DAYS PRIOR to your departure date. a. This means any time between when you have been accepted and the 30-day mark. b. All major credit cards are accepted (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express). c. You may send a check to the main W|W office, but please make sure "your name and country" are on each check. Checks must be in our office by the 30-day mark.
9. Check with the Volunteer Coordinator before making your flight arrangements, but once you have received confirmation to purchase your flight, submit your flight information HERE. Read over all resources given by W|W, so you are most prepared.
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact us: [email protected] o: 828.355.9655 c: 770.851.4132
*Email us if you are interested in the donations list or creating a children’s program* . Trip Preparation
VISA INFORMATION
A tourist visa will be obtained upon arrival at no additional cost.
PACKING LIST
Work clothes Notebook Long work pants Reusable water Old jeans or shorts bottle Old t-shirts Sunscreen Long sleeve shirts Towels Work gloves Hat, sunglasses Face masks Flashlight/headlamp Shorts Personal medications Light jacket Passport Toiletries Snacks/Protein Bars Hydration Powder
FACTORY ADDRESS
Wine To Water Dominican Republic Calle Maria Melida Polanco, El Higuerito, 56000 Phone: 809.278.6266
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What airport should we fly into? Santiago, Dominican Republic (STI)
Is there a dress code? We ask that you dress modestly when visiting the community with pants or capris, but at the factory you are allowed to wear shorts and tank tops.
Is there an age requirement? Ages 10 -17 are permitted to volunteer, as long as they are accompanied by a parent/guardian with a 1 to 1 ratio. Middle and High School groups must have a one chaperone to four students ratio
Will a children’s program need to be prepared? Yes! We will be going into the community the morning of the What is the recommended group vaccinations for your trip. distribution. So having an informal size? However, we strongly children’s program for about 50 We recommend between 10-15, but recommend that volunteers children would be great. Teaching the maximum group size for the check cdc.gov. We also highly about the importance of clean Dominican Republic is 24 volunteers. suggest that you check with your water is always a good topic to doctor (ideally 4–6 weeks before incorporate. Crafts, games, skits, What are the living conditions like? departure) for any personal coloring books, or water cycle There are dorm rooms with bunk medications or recommendations, bracelets are a great idea. beds. Sheets, pillows, and mosquito letting them know when you will nets are provided. There is electricity be traveling and your destination. Do we need a visa to enter your with ceiling fans in each room, along country? with a toilet, shower and sink with What is the weather like? As of January 2018, tourist visas running water, but not hot water. We encourage all volunteers to are now included in your airfare, check the weather before Visa/tourist Card is not needed to What vaccinations and medications departing. However, the enter the country like in years are needed? Dominican Republic is generally past. The visa/Tourist Card is now As an organization, we do not require hot and sunny during the day, included in the plane ticket. that you receive any with average temperatures of 82 degrees in the summer, and rainy in the evening.
What will meals be like? Dominican cuisine is predominantly Spanish, Taino, and African. The typical dishes are filled with fresh plantains, meat, and rice.
Will there be snacks to purchase? There is a corner store nearby to purchase cold drinks, cookies, and snacks but we recommend bringing some snacks from home as well.
Is there a way to contact the US? We encourage all volunteers to “unplug” as much as possible while serving on their trips. Even if internet is available, we ask that you limit the amount of time you spend online in order to fully engage in the experience. There is internet available in the DR, but it is not strong, so only small emails can be sent. The site leaders will have cell-phones for any emergencies. If you are curious about exchange rates, we recommend that you take Are the electrical outlets the same as they a look at these at The Money are in the US? Converter.com, as these can The outlets are the same as they are in the change daily. states, but the electricity is inconsistent and low. In order to conserve the amount of What can a team bring to donate? electricity used, we ask that volunteers leave The ground team will send a wish hair dryers, straightening irons, etc. at home. list to Wine To Water periodically. Please send an email What type of payment are accepted in [email protected] for an country? updated list. W|W Dominican Cash is the best method of payment. Credit Republic prefers interactive games cards, money orders, and other forms of and activities like face painting, payment are difficult to use once in country. sports, and craft projects. The site hosts can exchange money upon arrival at the guesthouse. We do not recommend exchanging money at the airport, but you can if it is necessary.