Santo Domingo, March 28, 2023. Fundación Tropicalia, an organization with more than 15 years working in favor of education in Miches, raised RD$1,450,700 pesos thanks to the donation of 19 partners, benefiting 15 educational centers in the eastern region of the country, to help counteract the damage caused by Hurricane Fiona after its passage through El Seibo.
In response to the impact of Fiona, the Fundación Tropicalia began its immediate support by collecting basic necessities through the implementation of collection centers in different parts of the country. However, after the immediate relief efforts ceased, the Foundation identified a new reality: schools had been left in deplorable conditions, which paved the way for the creation of a School Fund.
The implementation of the School Fund was a transparent and detailed process, thanks to the joint work with the School District 12-04 to identify the most urgent needs in order to continue teaching in Miches, and, of course, thanks to the creation of the Fund with the participation of 19 donors, among them: Grupo Ramos; RedAir and RedAir Foundation; Consorcio Remix; Grupo Bentrani; De Camps, Vasquez & Valera y Abogados, SRL and Space Solutions for Kids. The Fund not only allowed the purchase of school materials, but also served for the repair of educational spaces, and in one special case, the structural improvement of the La Mina de Oro Elementary School, whose infrastructure was in precarious conditions. These schools together receive more than 2,000 students from the town of Miches.
Among the schools most affected by Hurricane Fiona is La Mina de Oro Elementary School, which has a student body of 245 students and 13 teachers. Although this school began to show construction defects in 2017, following the impact of several tropical storms and Hurricane Fiona, the current structure is in conditions that do not allow teaching. Thus, since October 2021, students and teachers have been moved to a temporary school. Thanks to the support of the School Fund, a structural survey was carried out by expert engineers in civil works, which will be duly submitted to the pertinent authorities in order to provide a definitive solution for this school.
On this matter, Katherine Durán, executive director of Fundación Tropicalia said: "We are very grateful to every person and company that has contributed their grain of sand to make this Fund a reality. Hurricane Fiona left a lot of damage in the schools of Miches, and from Fundación Tropicalia we wanted to help guarantee a dignified and adequate environment for our students and teachers. The reality is that education is a fundamental right of children and adolescents, and our Foundation has been involved for 15 years in the community of Miches.
The money raised was used to purchase educational furniture, didactic and educational materials, as well as the hiring and consulting of experts in plumbing, electricity, engineering and masonry for the repair of 13 schools and 2 children's houses. This action adds to the 15 years of work of Fundación Tropicalia as an ally of the Ministry of Education of the Dominican Republic, in which they have trained hundreds of children and teachers in educational processes.
Initiatives such as the School Fund demonstrate that working together is crucial to make a positive impact on Dominican society by guaranteeing quality education. Fundación Tropicalia continues to be present in these efforts, understanding the importance of having and maintaining optimal physical environments and the necessary educational supplies as the basis for a good education.
