The province of Maria Trinidad Sanchez is a province rich in Agriculture.  Rice, coconuts, fruit, milk, and cattle play a huge part in the economy of this province. The majority of people live in rural areas, and agriculture, especially rice, plays a huge part in shaping their livelihoods.  For many communities working as a day-labourer in rice cultivation was the foundation for the economic prosperity of each family. The majority of men worked daily cultivating and growing rice, and the profit from the sale of the rice kept many of these communities thriving and healthy. 

 

Inevitably, the introduction of machinery has had a tremendous impact on the economic prosperity of many of these rural communities. As more and more machinery has taken over the cultivating and growing of rice, hundreds of hard working, non-skilled men, and even women, have lost their livelihood.  The loss of these day labourer jobs has left people with little money to spend.  This has had a negative impact on other businesses owners in the area, left families unable to afford to send their children to school, caused upheaval in communities as people leave seeking other employment, and left many families struggling to meet their basic needs. For many of these men there is nothing for them.  They are hard workers, but do not have any specific skills, and there are no schools close by for them to upgrade their skills. This has left many communities struggling with unemployment and a sense of hopelessness..

 

It is into one of these communities that EDMC, in partnership with the local pastors, began a strategic program to bring about TRANSFORMATION in the spiritual, physical, social, and economic areas of the families within this community. Los Rincones is a community of about 200 households, many of which used to get their livelihood as day labourers in the Agriculture. Before EDMC began working in the community, only two men had full time jobs. 

 

EDMC, along with the pastors, and a committee made up of community representatives, has committed to work in Los Rincones for five years. The goal is to provide beautiful block homes for those living in tin/wood structures with a concrete floor, running water, and sanitation, sponsor 92 school age children, educate people about health issues, improve the over all health of the community, bring about positive social change, teach and train business strategies, and create a co-op business model to benefit the majority of the community. At the end of five years, we want to see a beautiful, thriving, and self sustaining community.

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To date we have helped rebuild 10 homes in Los Rincones with the help of Short Term Mission Teams and local Dominican labourers. However, there are still so many more homes that need to be rebuilt. To the right are just a few photos of homes that were un-livable. Today, the families of these homes have a new and safe place to raise their children and live in dignity. 

 

You can be a part of this amazing program that is transforming the lives of a whole community by sponsoring a child, building a home for a family, bringing a short term team to work alongside members of the community, and general giving to projects that will benefit the whole community.