Frequently Asked Questions
Are you an official Charity?
Yes we are an Official Charity in the Canada. Our Charity was established in 2023.
How long have you been working in the DR?
We have been working in the DR since 2011. Travis and Megan moved to the Dominican Republic on a permanent in June 2011.
What are you doing in the Dominican?
We are working hard in making a difference in the sugar cane communities of Montellano.
Our main projects focus on education, identification and health care. Here are our goals and how we are succeeding
1. Education: Our goal is to keep children in school for as long as possible. So we have decided to eliminate all the reasons why many children do not go to school and then keep them in school for as long as possible.
School Uniforms: All students are required to wear a uniform in order to go to school. This past year we were able to raise enough money to be able to purchase 506 uniforms for the children and adults in Ascension and Caraballo so that they will be able to attend school. As a result of our school uniform distribution, 95% of children between the ages of 5-18 are in school.
School Transport - High school students and adults are required to go to school in a town called Montellano, which is 4 Km away. Individual transport to and from school is expensive. This is when most students drop out of school. We offer school transport both for the day time students and the night time students. As a result we now bus over 100 students a day to Montellano for school
University - Last year we started a university program. We are helping students continue their education after they graduate high school. Currently we are supporting 10 students, who have all shown diligence in their studies and leadership in their community.
Adult Skill Training - Infotep, is a country recognized government funded program. Every 3 month we offer a different course that will provide adults job skills, that will give them more opportunity to find a job. Currently we have 28 students learning how to waiter.
Reading program - Many students struggle to read and therefore are unable to pass their grade. We provide an afterschool reading program to help children who find reading a struggle.
Afterschool homework - The parents of many children are unable to help their children with their homework, due to their lack of education. We provide a place for the students to come for extra help. We have computers available for everyone to do their research.
Computer Center: In November 2011 we were able to open a Computer Center in Ascension, giving students access to the internet, keyboard training and computer training. We have wifi throughout the entire village. Best of all, the village pays for it, making this our first sustainable long term program.
2. Identification. Identification use to be a problem for many people in Caraballo and Ascension. Many adults and children of Haitian Descent did not have any identification to allow them to live, work, complete their education in the Dominican Republic.
In 2014 and 2015, the government of the Dominican Republic gave us a huge opportunity to apply for Dominican Birth Certificates to children born in the Dominican and help those born in Haiti to obtain legal non-resident status in the country. Allowing everyone to go to school and legally find work.
Better yet, those who find employment can now have health insurance and a future pension.
We worked morning, noon and night to make to help everyone who wanted to go through the process. In the end we were able to obtain 172 Dominican Birth Certificates and we put 180 adults into the process for non-resident status.
Today, we continue to help children born in the Dominican, whose parents are struggling to obtain their Dominican Birth Certificates.
3. Children's program - Every Saturday, children come to the community centre for a fun a chaotic time. They sing songs, do crafts, learn bible verses and learn about how to do life well.
4. Baby Program - We provide a gift basket for every baby that is born in the community. We do this for 2 reason. 1. Mothers do not have the resources to buy the necessities for their newborn baby. 2. We give the gift basket, when the mother presents to us the babies birth certificate. The babies documentation is important, but many do not understand how important it is, which is why many children do not have their Birth Certificates. Since the start of our program in 2016, 100% of the babies born in the community have their birth certificates. Which means we are successfully eliminating the problem of undocumented children.
4. Food Program - we provide a food program 5 days a week for the seniors in the community.
There are many seniors in the community that do not have family support and are among the most vulnerable. We provide a nutritional lunch 5 days a week, so that the seniors will not go hungry.
5. Surgeries and Therapy- Many people, young and old suffer from conditions that keep them from living a life of quality. Whether someone has been diagnosed with cancer, has been in an accident, is going blind, whatever the diagnosis is, our goal is to come alongside those who are suffering and help them obtain the best medical care, by providing the finances required.
Can I Donate?
Most certainly you can. That would be AMAZING. Thanks so much for asking. Go Make a Difference is an official charity and we would love for you to Go Make A Difference with us. 100% of your donation goes directly into the communities that we serve. We use Zeffy to process your donation because they make sure 100% of your donation goes directly to Go Make A Difference and they do not charge anything for their services.
So just clink on the "Donate now" button and start making a difference with us.
Are you raising money for specific project?
We have a lot of things happening and your donations are vital in joining us to Go Make a Difference. The most effective way to contributing is choosing to give where needed. We will make sure that all of our programs keep running. But to give you an idea of what the costs are, or if you would like to donate to something specific....Every Dollar counts.
1. School Uniforms - $40/student - includes shirt, pants/skirt, shoes, socks, pencils and notebooks.
School uniforms are a requirement for all students in the Dominican Republic. For the many children who do not go to school, the main reason is because they do not have a uniform.
2. Montelleno School Transport program - $50/student - It costs $50 per day to send all students to school.
Not too many students in Ascension/Caraballo can afford the transport to go to school, when they reach high school. Every day we have a van that takes the daytime students to High School and the nighttime students to Night School.
3. University - 2500/year - Generation of Change is a program we have to help students go to university. The students in Caraballo and Ascension are smart. There are more students than ever graduating high school. We want to keep them going. $2500 pays for their education, materials and transportation. Of course, if you are not able to support a student, you can donate whatever you are able to, so that we can send more students to university.
4. Afterschool Homework - $300/month - 200 children come to our homework school throughout the month. We have volunteers directly in the community that help each child with their homework. We provide computers to help them with their research as well as materials to help them with their projects.
5. Adult Skill Training - $150/class - Many adults do not have an education past public school, and this makes it hard for them to find a job that will allow them to take care of their family. We have partnered with a government program called Infotep. Infortep offers over 150 different courses, from waitering, cooking, sewing, to electricity, plumbing and even accounting and business administration. We have seen so many adult succeed in life because of these programs. $150 covers the cost of one semester for all the adults who are in the Infotep program.
6. Reading program - $150/month - This provides one month of materials and snacks for our students.
7. Children's program - $70/week - This will help with providing materials and snacks to over 100 children that come to our children's program each week.
8. Documentation - $50/Child - Sometimes helping a child with their documentation is easy. Parent just need to know what they need to. Other times, their situation is difficult and forms need to be created and notarized. Each child has a different situation and we learn the processes as we go, for each situation.
9. FEEDING PROGRAM - $50/Person - will provide a senior with a nutritious lunch for an entire month.
10. BABY PROGRAM - $80 - The beginning of a baby's life should be one that is celebrated. And we want to celebrate with the new parents by providing them with a gift basket full of all the things they need to get their new baby situated.
How much of my donation goes towards the project?
100% of all the money you donate goes towards everything we are doing..
Megan and Travis volunteer in the Dominican and are self supported.
Can I come visit?
Wow, we would love to see you. Come for a day or bring a group for a week. You will get a chance to meet some amazing inspiring people and if you want, work alongside some of them while you are here. It really is a life-changing experience.
Bring a church group, a company team, your family or a group of friends. We work with you before you arrive to customize your trip to fit the objectives and skill set of your team members. We will make all of the preliminary arrangements in the Dominican Republic so that you can hit the ground running when you arrive.
Want to know more. Contact us @ info@gomakeadifference.ca
Do you miss your mother? (Question is for Megan)
I am not too sure how many people are asking this question, but I do know my mother is wondering. The answer is YES. I miss her a lot.
We have a lot of things happening and your donations are vital in joining us to Go Make a Difference. The most effective way to contributing is choosing to give where needed. We will make sure that all of our programs keep running. But to give you an idea of what the costs are, or if you would like to donate to something specific....Every Dollar counts.
1. School Uniforms - $40/student - includes shirt, pants/skirt, shoes, socks, pencils and notebooks.
School uniforms are a requirement for all students in the Dominican Republic. For the many children who do not go to school, the main reason is because they do not have a uniform.
2. Montelleno School Transport program - $50/student - It costs $50 per day to send all students to school.
Not too many students in Ascension/Caraballo can afford the transport to go to school, when they reach high school. Every day we have a van that takes the daytime students to High School and the nighttime students to Night School.
3. University - 2500/year - Generation of Change is a program we have to help students go to university. The students in Caraballo and Ascension are smart. There are more students than ever graduating high school. We want to keep them going. $2500 pays for their education, materials and transportation. Of course, if you are not able to support a student, you can donate whatever you are able to, so that we can send more students to university.
4. Afterschool Homework - $300/month - 200 children come to our homework school throughout the month. We have volunteers directly in the community that help each child with their homework. We provide computers to help them with their research as well as materials to help them with their projects.
5. Adult Skill Training - $150/class - Many adults do not have an education past public school, and this makes it hard for them to find a job that will allow them to take care of their family. We have partnered with a government program called Infotep. Infortep offers over 150 different courses, from waitering, cooking, sewing, to electricity, plumbing and even accounting and business administration. We have seen so many adult succeed in life because of these programs. $150 covers the cost of one semester for all the adults who are in the Infotep program.
6. Reading program - $150/month - This provides one month of materials and snacks for our students.
7. Children's program - $70/week - This will help with providing materials and snacks to over 100 children that come to our children's program each week.
8. Documentation - $50/Child - Sometimes helping a child with their documentation is easy. Parent just need to know what they need to. Other times, their situation is difficult and forms need to be created and notarized. Each child has a different situation and we learn the processes as we go, for each situation.
9. FEEDING PROGRAM - $50/Person - will provide a senior with a nutritious lunch for an entire month.
10. BABY PROGRAM - $80 - The beginning of a baby's life should be one that is celebrated. And we want to celebrate with the new parents by providing them with a gift basket full of all the things they need to get their new baby situated.
How much of my donation goes towards the project?
100% of all the money you donate goes towards everything we are doing..
Megan and Travis volunteer in the Dominican and are self supported.
Can I come visit?
Wow, we would love to see you. Come for a day or bring a group for a week. You will get a chance to meet some amazing inspiring people and if you want, work alongside some of them while you are here. It really is a life-changing experience.
Bring a church group, a company team, your family or a group of friends. We work with you before you arrive to customize your trip to fit the objectives and skill set of your team members. We will make all of the preliminary arrangements in the Dominican Republic so that you can hit the ground running when you arrive.
Want to know more. Contact us @ info@gomakeadifference.ca
Do you miss your mother? (Question is for Megan)
I am not too sure how many people are asking this question, but I do know my mother is wondering. The answer is YES. I miss her a lot.