San Pedro de Macoris is located in the southern region of the Dominican Republic. The city is known for producing some of the greatest baseball players who have ever played the game. Sammy Sosa, Rafael Batista, and Robinson Cano are just a few of the big names to enter the major leagues from this relatively small city (population 195,000).

However, the Dominican Republic is also a primary location for the sexual trafficking of women and children. Commercial sexual exploitation by foreign tourists is a significant problem. As a result, girls as young as 15 can be found working the streets, parks, and beaches.

Contributing to this problem is the lack of education among women. Since they cannot read or write, they struggle to provide for their family. This economic pressure pushes them towards trafficking as a way to meet their needs.

The training program provides for women’s basic food and healthcare needs while they learn to provide for themselves. Each woman is assigned a mentor to guide her as she receives basic education and learns the skill of crafting beautiful Caribbean jewelry. Sales from this jewelry provide for their needs and help sustain the efforts of Mercy Workshop.

Dare for More partners with Mercy Workshop in many ways. We supply equipment and resources such as computers, workshop furniture, and basic supplies for the women. We assist with large projects that expand and further the mission of the program, and provide encouragement and equipping for the staff. Another critical way we partner is with the purchase of the hand-made jewelry. DFM purchases a large quantity of jewelry each year and makes it available to women where we speak and teach.

There are many reasons that a girl may be removed from her home by the judicial system. Sexual abuse, physical abuse, and abandonment are some of the most prominent of those reasons. The circumstances of each girl determine the care that is needed. Sometimes it is long-term care and other times it may be a short-term situation until a judge can determine what is best for the child.

DFM has been privileged to help build a new home for the expanding needs of the girls. We help resource the girls with clothes, shoes, and toiletries. Our goal is for our partnership to allow LifeHouse girls to accomplish things they could not dream of without our help.