Group aims to help those in poverty in Dominican Republic
Posted By ANDREA HOUSTON
Posted 3 months ago
About 500 families in the Dominican Republic are getting a helping hand from a Peterborough-based group who will soon send their first container filled with goods.
A group of about 30 local volunteers were on hand at E. G. Gray Transport on Jamieson Dr. on Saturday to help pack the container.
The mission started about 15 months ago when Erica Bateman travelled to the Dominican Republic on holiday.
“I was really changed by the poverty I saw down there,” she said.
One year later, Bateman founded the humanitarian group Dominican Self-Help and is now sending a 40-foot container dubbed the Container of Hope.
Inside the container is more than 600 boxes of school supplies, medical supplies, wheelchairs, walkers, shoes, clothing, food, diapers and toys.
“We took anything we could get our hands on to help these people out,” she said. “It’s been about six months of hard work to fill this container.”
All the items in the container were donated, she said.
“We have received numerous donations from all over, Peterborough, Whitby, Toronto, Campbellford,” she said.
About 500 families will benefit from the Container of Hope, Bateman said.
“These people live on a landfill site,” she said. “They have no clothes, no shoes and it’s a very rough area.
“The government there really doesn’t help them much because they spend most of their money on tourism.”
Bateman said the items in the containers will help the people have a better life.
“They can furnish their homes and allow their children to continue in school,” she said.
A portion of the shipping expenses, originally quoted at about $10,000, are being covered by King City Northway, making the cost to send the container $3,330. Donations are still being accepted, Bateman said.
The container will be sent later this week and it will take 17 days to reach its destination by sea, she said.
“This particular container will go to a village in the capital of Santo Domingo,” Bateman said.
“A few of us are going to fly over in a couple weeks to help distribute the aid.”
Next spring, Bateman said, she hopes to fill another container.
NOTE: To get involved or to contribute to the Container of Hope, contact Erica Bateman at erica@dominicanselfhelp.com or go to www.dominicanselfhelp.com.
ahouston@peterboroughexaminer.com
