Christmas is here and with it comes a time filled with hope, joy and peace. It is a special time of closeness and sharing with friends and family to feed and strengthen the bonds of love and friendship. So these days, we must let ourselves be spread by the feeling of solidarity and understanding, forgiveness, affection and love, especially to those most in need.

Fundación Tropicalia is extremely thrilled to report another successful summer of three sessions of the “I’m a Girl, I’m Important” summer camp.

On August 2nd the United Nations’ 193 Member States agreed to an ambitious agenda comprised of 17 new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), or Global Goals, that will mark the development agenda through the year 2030.

Earlier this fall we were so happy to welcome four more students to the Scholarship Program at Universidad ISA (Instituto Superior de Agricultura or UISA) in partnership with Fundación Tropicalia.

Friday August 7th we gave closure to the third annual summer camp "I’m a girl, I'm important" (SNSI), the fourth camp organized by Fundación Tropicalia. With the team of volunteers who have accompanied us during the three weeks of camp, we dispatched the last group of girls with games, laughter and tears of emotion throughout the experience.

This report provides an in­depth look at our advances in 2014 of the programs and commitments underway at Tropicalia, all of which contribute to strengthening the sustainable tourism sector.

Fundación Tropicalia has made great progress in the execution of the project “Inclusion of the Micro and Small Enterprise Sustainable Tourism Supply Chain in Miches” that it co-finances with the IDB / MIF.

Every year Fundación Tropicalia works with Junior Achievement Dominicana (JADOM) to bring financial literacy courses to high school students in Miches.

In January, Fundación Tropicalia celebrated the seventh annual party that honors the School Renovation and Maintenance Program (PRyME) recognizing their hard work and dedication.

Gustavo A. Roman, our dear friend, team member and General Coordinator of Fundación Tropicalia is the proud recipient of the Cisneros scholarship for Georgetown University’s Global Competitiveness Leadership Program.

Sofia Perazzo, Executive Director of Fundacion Tropicalia, sat with the Shared Value Initiative to discuss Tropicalia’s shared value strategies that integrate Miches and surrounding communities into the tourism sector via an inclusive business model.

After a comprehensive selection process three more Miches high school grads will be joining the ranks as an ISA/FT scholarship student.

This year Lucas Guibbes, an Elementary School located in Miches’ town center, participated in Fundación Tropicalia’s PRyME (School Renovation and Maintenance) program.

We are proud to announce that Tropicalia was shortlisted for the Ethical Corporation Responsible Business Awards in the category of “Most Effective Domestic Community Investment,” recognized specifically for our girls’ summer camp “Soy niña, soy importante”.

After five years coordinating the Copa Tropicalia baseball tournament, a strange feeling of satisfaction with what we have achieved is perceived. And this feeling invites a look back to think about our beginnings to such a wonderful journey.

Representatives from IDB/MIF, as well as internal team members that oversee the execution of the project, paid Miches a visit to oversee the advances of our project, The Inclusion of Micro and Small Enterprises in the Sustainable Tourism Supply Chain in Miches.

Fundación Tropicalia, with the help of Friends of EDUCA and the Dominican Foundation, is holding a fundraiser to gather donations to help send 120 Miches girls to FT’s summer camp, Soy Niña, Soy Importante (SNSI).

As part of our School Renovation and Maintenance Program (PRyME), Fundación Tropicalia restored this sports court located in the TV Centro La Gina High School. Our work included painting, scrubbing and installing basketball hoops alongside volunteers from the local community.

On March 29th, volunteers from the Miches community and from afar came together for the 4th edition of “New Face for Miches” (Nueva Cara para Miches) to paint the facades of homes that line the entrance to Miches.

During the month of February every town in the Dominican Republic celebrates Carnaval, a local celebration commemorating the distinct cultures and traditions throughout the country. Each town hosts its own Carnaval parade, incorporating different local customs into costume designs, food, songs and dances.