There are at least four organisations in Sosúa that try to provide a better future for poor children in the town.
Sosúa Kids Organisation is one example, and the organisors of this group include Janet Williams, Barbara and Linden Anderson, and Karen Conguergood.
Together, they ensure that 282 children (who could not otherwise afford it) can attend school, by providing them with school uniforms, books and writing materials.
Sylvia with a donation of 5000 euro
The group also pay tuition fees for four students who attend the university.
The SOSua project has adopted a small school in a tiny village where the residents consist mostly of Haitians, and where the children do not have the right to free education.
The SOSua project pays the salaries of teachers, as well as purchasing school furniture and equipment.
The group recently organised a day trip for some of the children.
Then there is another organisation that focuses on handicapped children in Sosúa.
We'll be publishing an article on this group soon.
However, our attention today focuses on the Stichting Help Sosuakids to School', which is a Dutch foundation primarily headed by Sylvia Berkley.
She has supported the Sosúa Kids Organisation since 2006, as well as a school for Haitian children (Colegio Evangelico Asher) in the suburb 'El Batey de la Unión'.
This is a suburb close to the airport.
These children also have no right to an education as they do not have legal documentation and therefore have little chance of receiving any schooling.
However, as a result of efforts by a number of Dominican teachers these children will now go to school, and Sylvia will pay their salaries through donations from the Netherlands.
The administration of these salaries is run via the Sosúa Kids Organisation.
On Sunday 18 May, Sylvia was at the checkpoint Bar to hand over a cheque for 5000 euro to the organisors of Sosúa Kids.
Sylvia had collected this money from all kinds of private citizens in the Netherlands.
Some of the money will be used to purchase school uniforms for the children.
The teachers at Colegio Evangelico Asher in El Batey de la Unión are also trying to raise funds because they urgently need new school premises for the children.
They currently have to house 250 pupils in the old school building, which is much too small.
This is why they have organised a benefit evening on Saturday 24 May, with performances by the children in the school band.
They hope that they will be able to raise enough money to put a down payment on a new school building.
5000 Euro
Would you like to donate some money?
Details are given below:
Mw. S.J.E. Berkley, Chairperson
E-mail: help@sosuakids2school.nl
Weblog: sosuakids.punt.nl
From 15 June 2008 new website:
www.sosuakids2school.nl
Bank account number: 57.27.39.818
BIC: ABNANL2A
IBAN: NL30ABNA0572739818
