Dominican RepublicDominican Republic

Helping moms & babies in the Dominican Republic

You are changing the lives of moms and babies. Here’s how.

Mom's & BabiesMom's & Babies
Helping moms & babies in the Dominican Republic
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The Need

Of the 5.2 million children who die around the world each year, 75 per cent die in the first year of life. Babies are at risk of death due to premature birth complications, complications during childbirth, infections, pneumonia and diarrhea. But this is preventable. With training and support, moms in poverty can be empowered to raise healthy and happy babies.

Our Response

Critical care
Your support helps secure access to pre- and postnatal care, skilled birth attendants and medical intervention when necessary.

Home-based care
Mothers are visited in their homes monthly by a Survival specialist, who offers education in prenatal care and early child-rearing as well as one-on-one biblical mentoring.

Group-based learning
At these church-based activities, moms learn skills to earn an income and gain vital knowledge including basic literacy, the importance of breastfeeding and how to prevent malnutrition and disease. These groups combat isolation through a supportive community of mothers who, together, learn about the God who loves them.

Dominican Republic Stats

Average number of children in household 4
Average age of first-time mothers 21
Births attended by skilled health personnel 70
Stunted growth from malnutrition 6

Activities

Spiritual nurture: Moms received Bibles and attended Bible studies, sermons and group activities to help build their faith. Some moms chose to dedicate their babies to God during special ceremonies. At the Ingenio Angelina Survival Program, moms attended a service called A Woman With a Warrior’s Heart, where they learned about the important role that women have in their families. In the Ingenio Santa Fe program, moms celebrated International Women’s Day with the theme “women chosen by God.”

Home visits: During home visits, staff visited families and provided personalized care and support. Staff assessed the needs of each family and taught lessons on topics such as childcare, spiritual growth, budgeting and financial management and income generation. Many moms have started their own businesses from their homes, thanks to income generation training they received through the program.

Provisions: Families received monthly food baskets containing nutritious food items, so caregivers could prepare regular meals for their families. New moms were given newborn kits filled with items like soap, clothing, socks, formula, baby bottles, a comb and brush, wet wipes and towels to help them care for their babies. Families also received baby bathtubs and mosquito nets. Program staff gave gifts to babies and their families during special events, such as birthdays and Christmas.

Child development: Staff taught caregivers the importance of supporting their children’s early development through meaningful interactions, play and age-appropriate activities. Caregivers from the Barahona program enjoyed group lessons focusing on topics like meeting their children’s emotional needs, supporting their physical development and how to nurture a healthy parent-child attachment.

Group activities: Caregivers gathered for educational workshops and special events hosted by staff. Moms learned lessons on topics such as child protection, healthy relationships, child development, nutrition and health and hygiene. Two local doctors taught moms from the Ingenio Angelina Survival Program about nutrition, infant feeding, malnutrition and obesity prevention and the importance of a balanced diet. In February, caregivers from the Ingenio Santa Fe program celebrated Friendship Day together.

Physical health: Moms and babies received ongoing medical care, including checkups and access to medications or supplements if needed. Babies were given regular height and weight checks to track their growth and monitor their development. Pregnant moms attended physical exams, learned what to expect during pregnancy and birth and received post-partum support.

Project Stats

This intervention addressed:

Full-term births 24
Pregnancies 13
Illness subc: Cardiovascular 1
Illness subc: Other 2
Breastfeeding Moms 11
Malnourished Babies - Severely Underweight 20
Attended births 25
Premature births 3
Malnourished Babies - Moderately Underweight 35
Normal birth weights 19
Low birth weights 8
Spiritual nurture: Moms received Bibles and attended Bible studies, sermons and group activities to help build their faith. Some moms chose to dedicate their babies to God during special ceremonies. At the Ingenio Angelina Survival Program, moms attended a service called A Woman With a Warrior’s Heart, where they learned about the important role that women have in their families. In the Ingenio Santa Fe program, moms celebrated International Women’s Day with the theme “women chosen by God.”
Spiritual nurture: Moms received Bibles and attended Bible studies, sermons and group activities to help build their faith. Some moms chose to dedicate their babies to God during special ceremonies. At the Ingenio Angelina Survival Program, moms attended a service called A Woman With a Warrior’s Heart, where they learned about the important role that women have in their families. In the Ingenio Santa Fe program, moms celebrated International Women’s Day with the theme “women chosen by God.”
Spiritual nurture: Moms received Bibles and attended Bible studies, sermons and group activities to help build their faith. Some moms chose to dedicate their babies to God during special ceremonies. At the Ingenio Angelina Survival Program, moms attended a service called A Woman With a Warrior’s Heart, where they learned about the important role that women have in their families. In the Ingenio Santa Fe program, moms celebrated International Women’s Day with the theme “women chosen by God.”
Spiritual nurture: Moms received Bibles and attended Bible studies, sermons and group activities to help build their faith. Some moms chose to dedicate their babies to God during special ceremonies. At the Ingenio Angelina Survival Program, moms attended a service called A Woman With a Warrior’s Heart, where they learned about the important role that women have in their families. In the Ingenio Santa Fe program, moms celebrated International Women’s Day with the theme “women chosen by God.”
Spiritual nurture: Moms received Bibles and attended Bible studies, sermons and group activities to help build their faith. Some moms chose to dedicate their babies to God during special ceremonies. At the Ingenio Angelina Survival Program, moms attended a service called A Woman With a Warrior’s Heart, where they learned about the important role that women have in their families. In the Ingenio Santa Fe program, moms celebrated International Women’s Day with the theme “women chosen by God.”
Spiritual nurture: Moms received Bibles and attended Bible studies, sermons and group activities to help build their faith. Some moms chose to dedicate their babies to God during special ceremonies. At the Ingenio Angelina Survival Program, moms attended a service called A Woman With a Warrior’s Heart, where they learned about the important role that women have in their families. In the Ingenio Santa Fe program, moms celebrated International Women’s Day with the theme “women chosen by God.”
Spiritual nurture: Moms received Bibles and attended Bible studies, sermons and group activities to help build their faith. Some moms chose to dedicate their babies to God during special ceremonies. At the Ingenio Angelina Survival Program, moms attended a service called A Woman With a Warrior’s Heart, where they learned about the important role that women have in their families. In the Ingenio Santa Fe program, moms celebrated International Women’s Day with the theme “women chosen by God.”
Spiritual nurture: Moms received Bibles and attended Bible studies, sermons and group activities to help build their faith. Some moms chose to dedicate their babies to God during special ceremonies. At the Ingenio Angelina Survival Program, moms attended a service called A Woman With a Warrior’s Heart, where they learned about the important role that women have in their families. In the Ingenio Santa Fe program, moms celebrated International Women’s Day with the theme “women chosen by God.”
Home visits: During home visits, staff visited families and provided personalized care and support. Staff assessed the needs of each family and taught lessons on topics such as childcare, spiritual growth, budgeting and financial management and income generation. Many moms have started their own businesses from their homes, thanks to income generation training they received through the program.
Home visits: During home visits, staff visited families and provided personalized care and support. Staff assessed the needs of each family and taught lessons on topics such as childcare, spiritual growth, budgeting and financial management and income generation. Many moms have started their own businesses from their homes, thanks to income generation training they received through the program.
Home visits: During home visits, staff visited families and provided personalized care and support. Staff assessed the needs of each family and taught lessons on topics such as childcare, spiritual growth, budgeting and financial management and income generation. Many moms have started their own businesses from their homes, thanks to income generation training they received through the program.
Home visits: During home visits, staff visited families and provided personalized care and support. Staff assessed the needs of each family and taught lessons on topics such as childcare, spiritual growth, budgeting and financial management and income generation. Many moms have started their own businesses from their homes, thanks to income generation training they received through the program.
Provisions: Families received monthly food baskets containing nutritious food items, so caregivers could prepare regular meals for their families. New moms were given newborn kits filled with items like soap, clothing, socks, formula, baby bottles, a comb and brush, wet wipes and towels to help them care for their babies. Families also received baby bathtubs and mosquito nets. Program staff gave gifts to babies and their families during special events, such as birthdays and Christmas.
Provisions: Families received monthly food baskets containing nutritious food items, so caregivers could prepare regular meals for their families. New moms were given newborn kits filled with items like soap, clothing, socks, formula, baby bottles, a comb and brush, wet wipes and towels to help them care for their babies. Families also received baby bathtubs and mosquito nets. Program staff gave gifts to babies and their families during special events, such as birthdays and Christmas.
Provisions: Families received monthly food baskets containing nutritious food items, so caregivers could prepare regular meals for their families. New moms were given newborn kits filled with items like soap, clothing, socks, formula, baby bottles, a comb and brush, wet wipes and towels to help them care for their babies. Families also received baby bathtubs and mosquito nets. Program staff gave gifts to babies and their families during special events, such as birthdays and Christmas.
Provisions: Families received monthly food baskets containing nutritious food items, so caregivers could prepare regular meals for their families. New moms were given newborn kits filled with items like soap, clothing, socks, formula, baby bottles, a comb and brush, wet wipes and towels to help them care for their babies. Families also received baby bathtubs and mosquito nets. Program staff gave gifts to babies and their families during special events, such as birthdays and Christmas.
Provisions: Families received monthly food baskets containing nutritious food items, so caregivers could prepare regular meals for their families. New moms were given newborn kits filled with items like soap, clothing, socks, formula, baby bottles, a comb and brush, wet wipes and towels to help them care for their babies. Families also received baby bathtubs and mosquito nets. Program staff gave gifts to babies and their families during special events, such as birthdays and Christmas.
Provisions: Families received monthly food baskets containing nutritious food items, so caregivers could prepare regular meals for their families. New moms were given newborn kits filled with items like soap, clothing, socks, formula, baby bottles, a comb and brush, wet wipes and towels to help them care for their babies. Families also received baby bathtubs and mosquito nets. Program staff gave gifts to babies and their families during special events, such as birthdays and Christmas.
Provisions: Families received monthly food baskets containing nutritious food items, so caregivers could prepare regular meals for their families. New moms were given newborn kits filled with items like soap, clothing, socks, formula, baby bottles, a comb and brush, wet wipes and towels to help them care for their babies. Families also received baby bathtubs and mosquito nets. Program staff gave gifts to babies and their families during special events, such as birthdays and Christmas.
Provisions: Families received monthly food baskets containing nutritious food items, so caregivers could prepare regular meals for their families. New moms were given newborn kits filled with items like soap, clothing, socks, formula, baby bottles, a comb and brush, wet wipes and towels to help them care for their babies. Families also received baby bathtubs and mosquito nets. Program staff gave gifts to babies and their families during special events, such as birthdays and Christmas.
Provisions: Families received monthly food baskets containing nutritious food items, so caregivers could prepare regular meals for their families. New moms were given newborn kits filled with items like soap, clothing, socks, formula, baby bottles, a comb and brush, wet wipes and towels to help them care for their babies. Families also received baby bathtubs and mosquito nets. Program staff gave gifts to babies and their families during special events, such as birthdays and Christmas.
Provisions: Families received monthly food baskets containing nutritious food items, so caregivers could prepare regular meals for their families. New moms were given newborn kits filled with items like soap, clothing, socks, formula, baby bottles, a comb and brush, wet wipes and towels to help them care for their babies. Families also received baby bathtubs and mosquito nets. Program staff gave gifts to babies and their families during special events, such as birthdays and Christmas.
Group activities: Caregivers gathered for educational workshops and special events hosted by staff. Moms learned lessons on topics such as child protection, healthy relationships, child development, nutrition and health and hygiene. Two local doctors taught moms from the Ingenio Angelina Survival Program about nutrition, infant feeding, malnutrition and obesity prevention and the importance of a balanced diet. In February, caregivers from the Ingenio Santa Fe program celebrated Friendship Day together.
Group activities: Caregivers gathered for educational workshops and special events hosted by staff. Moms learned lessons on topics such as child protection, healthy relationships, child development, nutrition and health and hygiene. Two local doctors taught moms from the Ingenio Angelina Survival Program about nutrition, infant feeding, malnutrition and obesity prevention and the importance of a balanced diet. In February, caregivers from the Ingenio Santa Fe program celebrated Friendship Day together.
Group activities: Caregivers gathered for educational workshops and special events hosted by staff. Moms learned lessons on topics such as child protection, healthy relationships, child development, nutrition and health and hygiene. Two local doctors taught moms from the Ingenio Angelina Survival Program about nutrition, infant feeding, malnutrition and obesity prevention and the importance of a balanced diet. In February, caregivers from the Ingenio Santa Fe program celebrated Friendship Day together.
Group activities: Caregivers gathered for educational workshops and special events hosted by staff. Moms learned lessons on topics such as child protection, healthy relationships, child development, nutrition and health and hygiene. Two local doctors taught moms from the Ingenio Angelina Survival Program about nutrition, infant feeding, malnutrition and obesity prevention and the importance of a balanced diet. In February, caregivers from the Ingenio Santa Fe program celebrated Friendship Day together.
Group activities: Caregivers gathered for educational workshops and special events hosted by staff. Moms learned lessons on topics such as child protection, healthy relationships, child development, nutrition and health and hygiene. Two local doctors taught moms from the Ingenio Angelina Survival Program about nutrition, infant feeding, malnutrition and obesity prevention and the importance of a balanced diet. In February, caregivers from the Ingenio Santa Fe program celebrated Friendship Day together.
Group activities: Caregivers gathered for educational workshops and special events hosted by staff. Moms learned lessons on topics such as child protection, healthy relationships, child development, nutrition and health and hygiene. Two local doctors taught moms from the Ingenio Angelina Survival Program about nutrition, infant feeding, malnutrition and obesity prevention and the importance of a balanced diet. In February, caregivers from the Ingenio Santa Fe program celebrated Friendship Day together.
Physical health: Moms and babies received ongoing medical care, including checkups and access to medications or supplements if needed. Babies were given regular height and weight checks to track their growth and monitor their development. Pregnant moms attended physical exams, learned what to expect during pregnancy and birth and received post-partum support.
Physical health: Moms and babies received ongoing medical care, including checkups and access to medications or supplements if needed. Babies were given regular height and weight checks to track their growth and monitor their development. Pregnant moms attended physical exams, learned what to expect during pregnancy and birth and received post-partum support.
Physical health: Moms and babies received ongoing medical care, including checkups and access to medications or supplements if needed. Babies were given regular height and weight checks to track their growth and monitor their development. Pregnant moms attended physical exams, learned what to expect during pregnancy and birth and received post-partum support.
Physical health: Moms and babies received ongoing medical care, including checkups and access to medications or supplements if needed. Babies were given regular height and weight checks to track their growth and monitor their development. Pregnant moms attended physical exams, learned what to expect during pregnancy and birth and received post-partum support.
Physical health: Moms and babies received ongoing medical care, including checkups and access to medications or supplements if needed. Babies were given regular height and weight checks to track their growth and monitor their development. Pregnant moms attended physical exams, learned what to expect during pregnancy and birth and received post-partum support.
Physical health: Moms and babies received ongoing medical care, including checkups and access to medications or supplements if needed. Babies were given regular height and weight checks to track their growth and monitor their development. Pregnant moms attended physical exams, learned what to expect during pregnancy and birth and received post-partum support.
Physical health: Moms and babies received ongoing medical care, including checkups and access to medications or supplements if needed. Babies were given regular height and weight checks to track their growth and monitor their development. Pregnant moms attended physical exams, learned what to expect during pregnancy and birth and received post-partum support.
Physical health: Moms and babies received ongoing medical care, including checkups and access to medications or supplements if needed. Babies were given regular height and weight checks to track their growth and monitor their development. Pregnant moms attended physical exams, learned what to expect during pregnancy and birth and received post-partum support.

ReportA message from a pastor

May the peace and blessing from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ cover you.

Through this letter, I want to share my gratitude for the support you have given to the Survival program. Over time, we have noticed that this program has really impacted not only individual lives, but also entire families in all the areas in which we support them, including the physical, socio-emotional, cognitive and, above all, the spiritual sense, since this is our strength and our delight.

Hearing mothers testify about how wonderful the program has been for them and their families fills us with great joy. It makes us understand that the work that has been entrusted to us and that we are carrying out has not been—and is not—in vain.

We ask God to continue blessing you and rewarding you for the great support that you have given us, which makes possible to impact those lives.

God bless you once again.

Peace,

Pastor Eugenio, Pastor at DR0800
Mandre

ReportA message from those your gift helped

May God bless you. I am Mandre, mother of baby Taima Landy. When I joined the Survival program, I was five months pregnant. I found out about the centre while visiting a neighbour. I looked for more information, and then they enrolled me.

Before entering the program, things were not going well for me or my husband. Because we are of Haitian nationality, it has been even more difficult to find a job. After joining the program, my life and my family’s life have changed significantly. There have been many times when I needed support, and the program provided it—spiritually, emotionally and financially.

I enjoy attending the meetings and participating in the church services. I’m very thankful to the program because it helped me start a business and fulfill a dream I had to have a way to be able to support my family. Thanks to the program, which provided what I needed to start, I was able to make it happen. Today, I have my own business. It’s not big yet, but it’s growing, thanks to God.

My baby girl is healthy and doesn’t get sick often, thanks to the care instructions I received at the centre. My spiritual life has also improved a lot, and I’m trying to build a closer relationship with God.

I thank God first and then I thank the program for the support they’ve given me and my family. I ask for your prayers so that God will continue to care for me and my family.

God bless you!

Mandre
Maria

ReportA message from a partnership facilitator

God bless you so much! It is an honour for me to write you this letter of gratitude on behalf of Compassion Dominican Republic. We want to express our most sincere gratitude for your generous support of the Survival program, a fundamental program that improves the life of vulnerable families in the Dominican Republic.

Thanks to your support, the program has been improving, providing vital assistance to the mothers and children that have experienced great difficulties. It’s important to emphasize the challenges that many families face. Most caregivers do not have a steady job, which makes their economic situation even harder. The situation gets more complicated due to the expensive medical care that some newborn babies need; many of the parents are not able to afford it. Because of this, some children are referred to clinics on Santo Domingo, but many of them do not get the medical care they need due to the lack of resources. We also see many mothers who are afraid to breastfeed due to lack of food in their homes.

To respond to these difficulties, the Survival program has intervened, providing moms and babies with both physical and spiritual assistance. We have given funds to the parents who need medical care for their babies, which has helped babies become healthy. We have also provided families with food, and, in some cases, we have supported the mothers to start their own smalls businesses.

Besides the assistance, we are implementing workshops and technical-professional courses that motivate the mothers to start their own small businesses and make their own sustainable income. This focus is not only helping families survive but also prosper, with the goal for them to be able to achieve sustainability in the long term.

We thank God deeply for choosing us as an instrument to bring hope and support to these families. We also pray that God continues blessing your lives and families, and that the work of your hand be prospered. Thank you for having a heart full of love and for being able to share what you have with the ones that need it the most.

We assure you that your generosity is having a direct, tangible and transforming impact on the lives of Survival children and their families. We are grateful for your collaboration and for being part of this process of changes and blessings.

With gratitude,

Maria