"Give to others, and it will be given to you"

I met Ariela for the first time a year ago. Her mother does the cleaning out of our home. Ariela had 4 pigtails, and was a shy girl. She came to see me a few months later, and had transformed herself into a teenager. She had a sparkle in her eyes that I could not forget. The summer of 2004 I was able to get a 3-month contract job, and decided that with some of that money I was going to help Ariela go to a better school. I contacted the school near her neighborhood. Having had relatives, and friends that had attended that school I was familiar with the institution.

I went and registered Ariela. This is her first year attending a private school, and she tells me how challenging it is, but she is up to it. More importantly, I found out that she always wanted to attend that school. It was her dream!

Her education expenses involved paying RD $300 peso's for leveling class during the summer (this is a course that prepares first time students prior to starting school officially). We also paid RD $1,800 peso's for registration, and RD $5,000 peso's for textbooks. These are one-time expenses for the whole year. Her monthly tuition is RD $900 peso's for a duration of ten total months.

Summery of Expenses (* using RD $30 peso's equal to $1 US dollar. The prices fluctuates from day to day)

When Ariela started school her situation involved helping her older 18-year-old sister who was pregnant at home. Home responsibilities and a demanding school curriculum do not deter Ariela. She stated to me that this is an opportunity for her to help her family and her future. I just hope that by her going to a better and more demanding school, she can stay away from all the danger that a deprived area brings. The school has also been great for Gisel (Ariela's mother); although Ariela's mother (Gisel) is illiterate, the school has parenting school to which Gisel needs to attend one Tuesday a month. The parenting skills that the mother (Gisel) is gaining are not only helping Ariela, but also her whole family.

The sad fact is that in Dominican Republic there are many kids like Ariela. The happy fact is that it only takes someone like you and I to make a difference.

School Information
Colegio Oratorio Maria Auxiliadora (O.M.A.)
Calle Manuela Diez # 67
Barrio Maria Auxiliadora
Santo Domingo, Rep. Dominicana
Tel: (809) 536-0919

You can e-mail me at george@presentmedia.com or you can also call me on my cell phone with any questions. Please request for my cell phone number by e-mail, and I will send it to you.