2025 Tres Mariposas Charity Project
Donation protected
My name is Roselvi "Rose" Castillo. I was born in a small town in "El Cibao" in the Dominican Republic called Moca. My family emigrated to New York when I was 6 years old.
In communities like Moca, it is a struggle for many students and their families to find access to the academic & hygienic resources they need in their daily lives. These students are disproportionately affected by educational inequity and are twice as likely to drop out of school as their urban counterparts. They also have less access to technology, electricity, school supplies, and public libraries. Children under 12 are especially vulnerable to this inequity since almost 20% of Dominican youth do not complete elementary school. I believe that where a student lives shouldn’t determine a student's academic future.
Having been born in Moca I fully understand what my life would have been like had my parents not taken a leap of faith and come to New York. While I can't change the laws that hold kids, especially girls, back from prioritizing their education, with your help, I can impact the lives of children by doing what I can for these communities.
The 2025 initiative in the Dominican Republic will revolve around supporting three organizations.
Divino Niño, an orphanage with 12 teen girls in Salcedo - Here we plan to offer the girls:
- The opportunity to be inspired and empowered by sharing the success stories of accomplished Dominican women from various fields. Through storytelling these women will share their journeys, struggles, and triumphs, demonstrating the power of education, resilience, and staying true to oneself. The goal is to encourage the girls to stay in school, pursue their personal and professional goals, and embrace their authentic selves as they navigate their futures.
- For the storytelling, we will supply each child with journals, writing utensils, light bites, and refreshments along with some other surprises.
- We plan to supply the orphanage with much needed items such as food, hygiene products, and reading books to support the everyday lives of the girls.
Casa Hogar Virgen de Lourdes, an orphanage with 14 children of various ages in Salcedo - Here, we plan to offer the children:
- A live reading of the book Martina y la Odontopediatra written and read by its author Dra. Katherine Lara, a Dominican Pedriatric Dentist.
- Dra. Katherine will teach the children the importance of brushing their teeth, keeping their mouth healthy, and why going to the dentist is so important.
- We will be gifting students dental hygiene kits to promote dental health.
- We will be partnering with a pediatric dentist to provide cleanings for all of the children.
- We plan to supply the orphanage with much needed items such as food, hygiene products, and reading books to support the everyday lives of the children.
Escuela Gil Rafael Osiris Beato Florentin, an elementary school in Moca with over 100 students - Here we plan to offer the school:
- School supplies (pencils, crayons, paper, notebooks, folders, etc.)
- Teacher Supplies (Post Its, Agendas, tape, staples, pens, etc.)
- Essential Groceries for each family in the school (Rice, beans, milk, cooking oil etc.)
We would love any support in this endeavor. To look back at our previous projects visit our Instagram page @tresmariposasorg.
Organizer
Rose Castillo
Organizer
New York, NY