Project Launch:

After 6 months of serving in the Dominican Republic, a Peace Corps Volunteer noticed that certain amenities Americans take for granted are seen by other countries as great privileges, such as access to clean water, 24-hour electricity, good healthcare, and even books. A $477 grant from World Connect’s Kids to Kids Program allowed the Junta de Mujeres Mamá Tingo, a progressive institution that increases opportunities for women and children, to purchase encyclopedias, creating a small reference library for the school that serves as a center for homework help and a book club. Kids volunteer at the library, organizing books and helping other kids find what they need and can come to the library to study and work on project. The library’s collection continues to be expanded by community members donating books. In a country that cannot always provide school children with textbooks, access to a set of encyclopedias in particular but the whole library space in general not only helps students complete their homework assignments, but also gives them a space to focus on their school work and in the process teaches them the lifelong skill of research.