Sisters Margarita & Carina

Sisters Yarilis & Rosili

Sisters-in-law Ybane & Denia

Ramona and her youngest daughter, Genesis

Sisters Nena & Liomesi

Today, we we’re working to put in a floor for Amor, 40, and her husband Pablo. She’s pictured here with three of her five children. Amor came to La Descubierta from Haiti sixteen years ago, and built her home together with her husband. Along with our Dominican and Haitian construction team, our volunteers will be getting their hands dirty, helping to mix cement and transport materials. If funds and time allow, we will also help to place a corrugated tin roof over her outdoor bathroom, and help her to build an additional room for her home.

Amor and three of her five children.

Inside her home, we’ll be placing a smooth cement finish on the floor.

Amor’s home, pictured here, for their family of seven.

Later this week, we will be up in the mountain community of Los Pinos del Eden.  In addition to working with the Madres in afternoon workshops, we’ll be working in our community garden space, rooting out spinach plants that have overgrown, weeding, and clearing out space for a second planting.

The garden space, at sunset. Lots of work to do!

Madres Genesis and Rosili harvesting tomatos for their kitchens!

There is a vibrant, dedicated group of Dominicans and Haitians that color our organization, and are at the center of what we do, based in La Descubierta, Los Pinos, Barahona, Santo Domingo and beyond. Once you’ve embarked on a trip with us, you’ve joined a growing group that is grateful to know and love these people, to call them your friends, and to create community, across cultures and generations.  Here is a quick preview of who you’ll meet on our trips.

Vianela & Socrates: Their home is the center of the Una Vida universe. During her Peace Corps service, Vianela and Lynne became connected as mother and daughter, and since then their family has continued to grow.  They open their home to us during our trips, and the back patio is truly a magical oasis.  Located in the heart of town, its where we will meet most days.

Vianela (left), with her granddaughter, Niobe

Monica & Daniel: Lynne’s pana (Dominicanism for BFF), Monica, and her son, Daniel, have always been a part of Una Vida.  This is UV CFO Barbra’s second home, and the site of many UV activities. Monica also operates a small shop out of her home, and is a great place to shop if you’ve forgotten something at home, or for small gifts.

Monica, UV intern Sarina, and Daniel

Genesis, Victor, Francisco (Tiga), Starling (Primo), Benjamin, Leo, Oti, Jarol: For those who have worked with Una Vida, these boys need no introduction.  A tight knit group of friends, they run up and down and all over town helping to make our trips run smoothly. They welcome our volunteers with open hearts, and support our organization on the ground in invaluable ways.

The boys, eating mangos and being themselves

Waner, Una Vida driver: Always smiling and with a true heart of gold, Waner drives his family’s flatbed truck up and down the mountain road leading to Los Pinos, Angel Feliz, and Sabana Real.  His driving skills are the best, and he has been the sweetest edition to UV’s local team.  Maribel, who sews the bags we sell, is his mother-in-law.  Waner and his wife Charlotte, have a two-year-old daughter, Wanifer

Waner

Cristanta: Cristanta is the soul behind the delicious food that hits the table at our Una Vida home base.  Although she lives most of the year in La Romana to be close to her family, Cristanta maintains her home in La Descubierta, and runs the kitchen, with love, during our trips.

Anabel: Beloved host sister to many UV volunteers, 14-year old Anabel is a budding UV volunteer.  Born to a Haitian mother and Dominican father, she seamlessly speaks both Spanish and Creole, and teaches catechism classes on Sunday mornings at the Centro Don Bosco, an organization run by Dominican nuns.

Anabel

Yonni: Based in nearby Bartolome, Yonni has become Una Vida’s go-to man for all sorts of projects, from fixing the door to the Madres jewelry room to changing the locks on our work shed.  Quiet and reserved, Yonni’s dedication to his work is inspiring. When at the worksite, make sure to offer him a cold cup of water!

Yonni cooks up a delicious meal at La Toma, on the river in La Descubierta

Your host families (in La Descubierta & Los Pinos): All within walking distance from Vianela’s, the members of your host family are your guardians and guides to all things Dominican! All our families have experience hosting Una Vida volunteers, and are waiting to welcome you with open arms.  Treat them with love and respect and you’ll quickly find yourself feeling like a part of the family.

UV intern Sarina Consulter with her amazing host family!

The Madres:  Based in Los Pinos del Eden, ten women currently make up our tight-knit group, working together to make the jewelry behind the Madres program.  Founded in the fall of 2011, the group of women who make up Madres are empowered artisans, and consistently amaze us with their skill and dedication.

The Madres being silly!

The kids living at the Hogar de Niños Jeremie:  Located in the town of Neyba about 50 minutes from La Descubierta, Una Vida works to support this children’s home in any and every way we can. It is sponsored by the Christian Relief Fund, and many UV volunteers have returned home and sponsored children living here.  Donations from UV supporters provide internet, dental care, and school supplies to the kids here.  For many, it’s a true highlight of their trip.

Lunch time at the Hogar de Niños in Neyba

This is an exciting time at Una Vida. We are in the midst of coordinating three groups who will arrive for 7 – 8 days each during spring break vacations. For those of you who are lucky enough to be coming down with us, enjoy this time as your excitement builds, and know that you are in for an experience of a lifetime. Whether you will be here in a few weeks, are a past participant yearning for a connection back to the DR, or thinking about coming, here are a few suggestions on how to bring a little bit of Dominican-ness to your life on a daily basis:

LISTEN to music in Spanish.  Our favorite local station is FM 100.7.  Tune in to get your ear used to music in a different language. Merengue, batchata, and salsa are three types of music that dominate the airwaves in the DR. Check out Antony Santos, Frank Reyes, Juan Luis Guerra, and Aventura online to get a headstart on some of the DR’s greatest artists.

READ books, articles, short stories about the Dominican Republic. Check out our list of recommended readings and set a goal to finish one of these books before you arrive. We’ve recently read Julia Alvarez’s new book A Wedding in Haiti. Its a quick read (and available at the Petaluma Library) and a new one we love!

WATCH videos online that inspire you. We’re currently obsessed with this video by Kid President, Water is Life’s take on First World Problems, and any and all TED talks.  Although these aren’t specifically Dominican, its visual reminders like these that help ignite passion.

 

EAT Dominican food.  Visit San Rafael’s Sol Food. Although its a Puerto Rican restaurant, its the next-best-way to get your rice and beans fix. This website is the best thing we’ve found for recipes, Dominican-style.

LOOK at a map of the Dominican Republic on google maps here.  Type in La Descubierta and see where is lies in relation to the rest of the country, and the capital Santo Domingo.  You can also see where we work on a map on our website.

Haitian-American author, Edwidge Danticant, explains that “an unlikely friendship between two people, two families, and two countries shines at the center of this book. We are privileged to witness it and become a part of this journey via Julia Alvarez’s funny and reflective narrative of both pre- and post-earthquake Haiti”

For those of you missing the DR, A Wedding in Haiti will transport you back to the island you love. Don’t miss it.

Kara for Team Una Vida

Sitting on the edge of 2013, one thought comes to mind:  thank you for an incredible year!

2012 was a year of tremendous growth for Una Vida, and next year promises to scale our impact even further with more life-changing journeys in the Dominican Republic, more low-income mothers employed by Madres, and more shelter constructed for families in need.

Thank you for building community with us, and for doing it with love. Wishing you and yours a healthy, abundant, and love-filled 2013!

With gratitude,

Team Una Vida

Madres Jewelry Project:  The focus of our work has been to produce a new line of products designed by Petaluma-based jewelry designer, Robindira Unsworth.  We host workshops, talleres, in Los Pinos most days each week, from 2:30 – 5pm, producing earrings, necklaces, and bracelets, some of which are already making their way back to California, and will soon be up for sale.  We’ve taken care to record which member of the Madres group produced each piece, so take note to take a look behind who made each piece we’ve created together.

Los Pinos Vegetable Garden: We’ve taken the first steps in planting a community garden in Los Pinos.  With the help of Leo, Benjamin, Victor, Jarol, and Primo, and a hardworking group of Haitians who we’ve hired as caretakers of the project, we planted carrots, spinach, tomatoes, eggplant, and cucumber, all of which are sprouting and will be soon ready to be transplanted to our garden space and to the individual homes of the Madres.  This is a project that will provide vegetables that are much needed in diets here and often unavailable to the families we work and live with.  We will also need outside financial support to keep it in motion, so please visit our GIVE page if you would like to help.

Construction projects: We’ve completed work on Carina’s roof, and she continues to work to save up to complete the next phase of construction.  Thanks to generous donations from our group in September, we will be putting in a cement wall and floor into Margarita’s house this week.  Carina and Margarita are both sisters, of Haitian descent, and are both hardworking members of Madres. All Una Vida construction projects are funded through donations, and as our funds grow, we will be able to complete more projects.  Visit our GIVE page to support.

Beauty day at the Hogar de Niños Jeremie in Neyba:  Last weekend we visited the orphanage in Neyba, armed with supplies for a spa day for the girls, and materials to make friendship bracelets with the boys.  Thanks to generous donations, we are helping to keep internet service connected at the home.

Caritas Felices:  The first and only special needs school in the Southwest region of the DR, located in Barahona.  You can check out more about them on their Facebook page.  Founded by longtime Children of the Nations employees Julio and Martiza Peña, who not only welcomed us to the school, but also into their home and hearts.

We also took time to visit the Haitian market across the border in Sauvon Bon, pictured above.  Our work here would not be possible without the continual support of Una Vida donors, which we cannot thank enough.  You can check out more photos on our Facebook page.  And most importantly, if you are feeling inspired by our work – let us know!  We have many opportunities to serve with us, in the field and at home.

With love and gratitude,

Tricia, Sarina, Kaitlin, and Chelsea, on behalf of the Una Vida team

At Una Vida, we’re obsessed with the magic that happens when people discover their unique talents and use them to make the world a better place. Our name is rooted in that very idea-  that you only get one life (una vida) and should make it count!  It is this philosophy we strive to impart to each participant who spends time with us in the Dominican Republic.

What does making it count look like?  The truth is that each person’s path, each person’s personal legend will be different (thank you, Paul Coelho). The key is discovering the endeavors that make you feel like your best self, and then channeling those gifts and skills to affect change in your corner of the world.

Over this past year, photographer Amy Martin has done just that by donating her time and talent to capture breathtaking images of our Una Vida community. Her mesmerizing photographs are brimming with compassion, grace, and hope. They convey the dignity of the poor, the nuances of Dominican culture, and the breathtaking beauty of island life.  Thank you, Amy, for gifting us photos that motivate and inspire us to leave our mark on the world.

Food for thought: how are you making your life count?

http://amysmartin.zenfolio.com/

The gorgeous new line was created by celebrated jewelry designer Robindira Unsworth.  We can’t thank Robindira Unsworth and Molli Beatty enough for all that they’ve poured into this new Madres endeavor.  Another heartfelt thank you goes to Marcie Waldron, Tricia Sweeney, Sarina Consulter, Kaitlin Donelly, Chelsea Hewitt, Nina Gruener, Jasmine Sheeks, Meghan Urban, and Kara Vestnys for spending several months preparing to implement training sessions in Los Pinos.

As with our current Madres products, all proceeds from the new line will be re-invested into the Los Pinos community.

We’re selling the stunning necklaces below, generously donated by Robindira to raise funds for upcoming Madres projects. The flourite stone symbolizes abundance and harmony.  Suggested donation is $50.00.  Contact Kara@una-vida.org for more information.

Abrazos all around,

Team Una Vida