Sponsor Jonny Tiben Matos

Los Robles, whose name translates to “The Oaks” or “Strong People,” is a remote, extremely poor community. It is a batey (pronounced BAH-tay)—one of several shantytown work camps built in the 1960s to house migrant sugarcane workers from Haiti. Most of these workers never obtained legal citizenship in the Dominican Republic. Because of this, their descendants are not legal citizens either, and are denied access to social services including education and medical care. Compounding these problems are the issues of teen pregnancy and unemployment due to the mechanization of the sugar industry. Today, thanks to in-country staff and partners like you, hundreds of children—including several university students—are enrolled in our sponsorship program in Los Robles and have their physical, mental, social, and spiritual needs met. As these children grow into adults, they are setting positive examples for the young people of Los Robles, who desperately need good role models. By partnering with sponsors like you, we seek to provide the children of Los Robles with the resources and care they need to become well-rounded individuals. By equipping these children and their caregivers with tools for success, they will grow up to create positive change in their community and ultimately their nation.