Sister Island Project

Mission

Sister Island Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting respectful international friendship and cultural, educational, and technical exchange between people of the United States and people of the Dominican Republic. In addition, Sister Island Project promotes awareness of issues that challenge developing countries and collaborates with Dominicans on mutually beneficial humanitarian projects.

Mision

El Proyecto Isla Hermana es una organización sin fines de lucro dedicada a fomentar vínculos de amistad internacional, así como el intercambio cultural, educativo y técnico entre los habitantes de los Estados Unidos y la República Dominicana. En ese orden, el Proyecto Isla Hermana promueve también la concientización de asuntos que representan un desafío para países en vía de desarrollo mientras colabora con los dominicanos en proyectos humanitarios de beneficio mutuo.

History

Sister Island Project was born in 1999 when Victoria Santos traveled to Cruz Verde, the rural Dominican community in which she was born. She felt compelled to respond to the persistent poverty there and she also felt inspired to share the depth and warmth of Dominican culture with friends back home on Whidbey Island, Washington, in the Puget Sound north of Seattle.

Victoria organized a group of Whidbey Island friends of all ages who traveled to the Dominican Republic in January 2000 to experience the Caribbean nation and encounter the community of Cruz Verde. Initial dialogues with community leaders led to a commitment to form an organization dedicated to cultural exchange and support for the communities of the Yabacao region.

Since 2000, Sister Island Project has brought several hundred volunteers to Cruz Verde to carry out a variety of service activities.

Historia

El Proyecto Isla Hermana nace en el año 1999 cuando Victoria Santos viaja a su pueblo natal: la comunidad rural dominicana de Cruz Verde, Monte Plata. Profundamente afectada al observar el nivel de pobreza persistente de la región, se sintió motivada a responder de alguna manera e inspirada a compartir la calidez y riqueza de la cultura dominicana con sus amistades en Estados Unidos.

Desde el año 2000 el Proyecto Isla Hermana ha traído cientos de voluntarios a la comunidad de Cruz Verde, en una iniciativa que abarca diversas actividades de servicio.

Goals

Creating a Learning Center/Fostering Cultural Exchange

Sister Island Project is currently focusing its resources on two related goals -- developing the Luz Maria Learning Center and fostering cultural exchange. In collaboration with Dominican community organizations and international supporters, we are working to develop activities at this learning center in the Yabacao region of the Dominican Republic. We began construction of the learning center in 2003, and held its grand opening in July 2006. It is used for classes, microenterprise projects, tutoring, arts groups, and youth leadership development.The center will also serve as a hurricane shelter, and is home to Cruz Verde's first library.

Our second, related goal is the facilitation of cultural exchange, through volunteer service by Americans and others. Exposure to diversity and the development of cross-cultural communication skills are urgent needs for Americans. There is a real call for us to become "global citizens." Sister Island Project’s service opportunities allow volunteers from the United States and elsewhere to teach, learn, and step beyond the familiar. In doing so, volunteers become wiser, more capable citizens of the world. Likewise, our host families have the opportunity to feel respected and competent and engaged, hosting guests from far away. Dominican children receive a valuable educational opportunity while they share their culture and develop skills in relating to volunteers from the United States and elsewhere.

In this framework of mutually beneficial cultural exchange, Americans and Dominicans are working together to create a school in an impoverished community.

Metas

Crear un Centro de Enseñanza / Fomentar el intercambio cultural

Por el momento, el Proyecto Isla Hermana está concentrando sus recursos en dos metas estrechamente relacionadas: la creación de un centro de enseñanza y el fomento del intercambio cultural.

En este marco de intercambio cultural y beneficio mutuo, norteamericanos y dominicanos trabajan juntos para crear una escuela en una comunidad afectada por la pobreza.

Who We Are

Victoria Santos, Project Co-Director. Victoria holds a Master’s Degree in Political Science/Latin American and Caribbean Studies. She has more than fifteen years’ experience in community organizing. She has worked for fifteen years in public school settings coordinating and developing conflict resolution and peer mediation programs, and other youth development activities. Ms. Santos was born and raised in the Yabacao region of the Dominican Republic.

Peter Blaustein, Project Co-Director. Peter holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work, and has fifteen years’ experience working in varied human service settings. He is currently the Project Coordinator for a school-based alcohol abuse reduction program for young people, and he has provided therapy and service coordination for mentally ill/addicted adults in an urban community mental health center. His work also includes grant-writing and editing.

Carolina Rodoli, Program Coordinator. Carolina lives in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Mass Communication and has a strong interest in the non-profit field, as well as a strong commitment to positive development in her country. Carolina is fluent in English and has played a central role coordinating volunteer service trips and developing programming.

Board Of Directors and Advisors

Sister Island Project’s board members and advisors have been instrumental in providing guidance with project planning, community education, fundraising activities, and coordination of cultural exchange programming. They represent a breadth of knowledge and skills and contribute in diverse and unique ways to Sister Island Project.

Peter Blaustein See bio above.

Scott Mauk is a high school teacher and organic farmer. He has extensive experience and knowledge of Latin America. He participated in Sister Island Project’s first volunteer service trip to the Dominican Republic, and provides informed and thoughtful perspective to the project.

Marta Mulholland served in the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic. With a diverse background in the arts, yoga, and work with the deaf community, Marta brings enthusiasm and a wide-ranging knowledge and skill base to her role on the board.

Victoria Santos See bio above.

Jenny Gochanour is a high school Spanish teacher who has led trips in Latin America. Her knowledge and resources related to language and culture have been invaluable for the project.

Nina Hernandez is a Dominican community liaison who plays a central role facilitating Sister Island Project activities.

Consultants

The following consultants are also important partners to Sister Island Project:

Guillermina Reynoso, Engineer/Community Organizer (USA/Dominican Republic)

Teodoro Manon, President of the Fundacion Cruz Verde (Dominican Republic)

Roberto Fabian, former President of the Fundacion Cruz Verde (Dominican Republic)

Wilma Mercedes, architectural engineer (Dominican Republic)

Negra Salas, leader of Chucho Salas Neighborhood Association (Dominican Republic)