Cargando Tropicalia
FUNDACIÓN
TROPICALIA


Establecida en 2008 por Tropicalia, Fundación Tropicalia es una organización sin fines de lucro que diseña e implementa programas de desarrollo socioeconómico a la medida para el municipio de Miches y la provincia de El Seibo. Estos son ejecutados en alianza con la comunidad local y la sociedad civil, el gobierno, las agencias de cooperación internacional, y el sector privado. La Fundación se enfoca en cuatro áreas prioritarias - productividad, medioambiente, educación y apoyo sociocultural en las cuales gestiona iniciativas de alto impacto en agricultura, igualdad de género, educación, medioambiente, la micro y pequeña empresa, y microfinanzas.
FUNDACIÓN
TROPICALIA


Establecida en 2008 por Tropicalia, Fundación Tropicalia es una organización sin fines de lucro que diseña e implementa programas de desarrollo socioeconómico a la medida para el municipio de Miches y la provincia de El Seibo. Estos son ejecutados en alianza con la comunidad local y la sociedad civil, el gobierno, las agencias de cooperación internacional, y el sector privado. La Fundación se enfoca en cuatro áreas prioritarias - productividad, medioambiente, educación y apoyo sociocultural en las cuales gestiona iniciativas de alto impacto en agricultura, igualdad de género, educación, medioambiente, la micro y pequeña empresa, y microfinanzas.

Medioambiente

Concluimos el estudio de huella hídrica y de carbono para la producción y obtención de productos agrícolas.

Ejecutamos nuestros programas de protección ambiental de Costa Esmeralda, Playa Arriba y Montaña Redonda para apoyar la limpieza de las playas, instalación de señalización educativa y puntos de recolección de residuos.


Educación

205 estudiantes participaron en nuestros programas de educación complementaria.

4 estudiantes becados se graduaron de la universidad.

Se agregó una nueva escuela al Programa de recuperación y mantenimiento de escuelas de Fundación Tropicalia (PRYME), con un total de 14 escuelas.

199 maestros, estudiantes y sus tutores participaron en en los Talleres de buen comportamiento, enseñando a los niños con amor y límites.


Apoyo sociocultural

306 niñas y 96 voluntarios participaron en el campamento de verano, Soy niña, soy importante (SNSI).

Organizamos la Conferencia internacional sobre la igualdad de género- Igualdad de género en República Dominicana: Derechos y oportunidades- apoyada por ONU Mujeres y el Ministerio de la Mujer de la República Dominicana.

Educación

205 estudiantes participaron en nuestros programas de educación complementaria.

4 estudiantes becados se graduaron de la universidad.

Se agregó una nueva escuela al Programa de recuperación y mantenimiento de escuelas de Fundación Tropicalia (PRYME), con un total de 14 escuelas.

199 maestros, estudiantes y sus tutores participaron en en los Talleres de buen comportamiento, enseñando a los niños con amor y límites.


Productividad

84 participantes concluyeron sus talleres de producción en agricultura ecológica y producción de fertilizante orgánica.

Lanzamos un portal web para dar a conocer nuestro trabajo con el BID/FOMIN y otras iniciativas para la diversificación económica en Miches. - mype.fundaciontropicalia.com.

Nuestros talleres de liderazgo para motivar e inspirar alcanzaron a más de 100 stakeholders.


Apoyo sociocultural

306 niñas y 96 voluntarios participaron en el campamento de verano, Soy niña, soy importante (SNSI).

Organizamos la Conferencia internacional sobre la igualdad de género- Igualdad de género en República Dominicana: Derechos y oportunidades- apoyada por ONU Mujeres y el Ministerio de la Mujer de la República Dominicana.


Esfuerzos de recuperación tras los huracanes

Coordinamos la entrega de docenas de donaciones para apoyar los esfuerzos de recuperación pos-huracán, enfocándonos en las necesidades básicas (alimentos, vestimenta y equipos de cocina), y productos higiénicos.

Se donaron alimentos, gas y equipos a la Defensa Civil y al Municipio de Miches, apoyando sus esfuerzos de recuperación.

Se distribuyeron 450 kits escolares y se repararon infraestructuras de planteles escolares en alianza con Save the Children.



Construir una base sólida para Tropicalia significa crear una red de aliados comprometidos. Tropicalia se enorgullece de sus relaciones con estas organizaciones, y continuará buscando establecer alianzas exitosas por muchos años más.



Costa Esmeralda Beach Rescue Program


Since 2013, in collaboration with local authorities, Tropicalia and Fundación Tropicalia work to restore and protect the breathtaking beach of Costa Esmeralda. Recent road improvements from Bávaro and El Seibo to Miches, as well as greater promotion of tourism destinations such as Montaña Redonda, have increased beach-goer arrivals to Costa Esmeralda. Our partnership aims to enhance the municipality’s natural attractions and promote compliance with related environmental regulations, while providing basic services for visitors to responsibly enjoy the beach.



Playa Arriba Beach Rescue and Administration Committee

To restore and protect Playa Arriba, in 2016 Fundación Tropicalia partnered with local businesses, authorities and community members to form the Playa Arriba Administration Committee. In 2017, the Committee organized two clean-up days, one in the framework of the International Coastal CleanUp Day and the other after Hurricane Maria. The Miches Municipality led both events with the support of Committee members. Moreover, Fundación Tropicalia established six puntos verdes or ‘green points’ on the beach, donating up to twelve trash bins and working with local artisans to create educational and welcome signage. Fundación Tropicalia contributed US$3,300 to these activities.

Reforestation in La Yeguada River in Miches
Fundación Tropicalia staff joined Brigada Verde or Green Squad for a river cleanup in July and reforestation day in December 2017 in the catchment area of La Yeguada River in Miches. Volunteers from governmental institutions, local schools, and other entities planted approximately 300 trees.

Montaña Redonda Rescue Initiative
Montaña Redonda is a Miches owned and operated tourist attraction, located in the Municipal District of El Cedro. Views from the top offer a spectacular 360 degree panorama of oceans, mountains and lagoons, drawing thousands of visitors from the Bavaro-Punta Cana area. Fundación Tropicalia identified an opportunity to support this budding business with its solid waste management processes as Montaña Redonda lies adjacent to the Laguna Redonda and Limón Wildlife Refuge.




School Renovation & Maintenance Program
To achieve competitive and sustainable economic development, quality education is vital. Yet, Dominican Republic produced the lowest scores in the Third Regional Comparative and Explanatory Study (TERCE), published in 2015, among 15 countries in Latin America and Caribbean, even though it was the fastest improving country when compared to previous studies. In 2017, Fundación Tropicalia culminated another year of the School Renovation and Maintenance Program (PRyME), which brings together the education community to address administrative and infrastructure repair and maintenance challenges. Fundación Tropicalia requires that schools provide counterpart funding or resources (including in-kind labor) to encourage self-determination, responsibility, pride of accomplishment, and independence.
PRyME in 2017:
Hicaco Blanco Primary School Fundación Tropicalia supported painting projects, plumbing work, the repair of bathrooms and toilet doors, and the construction of eight benches for the playground. After the passing of Hurricane Maria, we did additional repairs to fix the school’s septic tank and roof.
Scholarship & Cultural Exchange Program
Since 2011, Fundación Tropicalia has coordinated a Scholarship and Cultural Exchange Program in partnership with the Instituto Superior de Agricultura University, or UISA, which specializes in agricultural sciences, located in Santiago de los Caballeros, the second largest city of Dominican Republic. The program offers young, promising Micheros an opportunity to pursue an undergraduate degree that links up to labor demand in Miches, including degrees in engineering in agronomy, animal production and food technology; education specialized in natural sciences; or business administration.

In 2017:
1. Four scholarship students graduated from college.
2. 15 students are currently enrolled in the program.
3. Three students are on an education scholarship provided by the Ministry of Education; nevertheless, they receive program services available to all UISA-FT scholarship students.
4. All students participated in our annual Professional and Cultural Exchange Initiative, which took place in Centro León. Located in Santiago, students visited the permanent exhibition dedicated to the Taino indigenous people, created their own Taino ceramic pieces and learned about the career path of our guest speaker and alumni, Engineer Angel Castillo.
EDUCA Partnership
EDUCA (Business Action for Education), a national NGO located in Santo Domingo, was created by a group of business men and women concerned with the global competitiveness of the Dominican Republic, and to this day is one of the most important influencers in education public policy. Fundación Tropicalia had been a member of EDUCA for five years, and board member since 2016; however, in 2017 we transitioned membership to Fundación Cisneros, which is more accurately aligned with EDUCA's mandate. As a result, for the last half of 2017, Fundacion Cisneros has participated in round table discussions with the Ministry of Education for the development of initiatives to improve career and technical education in the country and particularly in Miches.
Complementary Education Program
In 2014, Fundación Tropicalia launched a Complementary Education Program (formerly known as In-School Education Program) in Miches’ public schools to support soft and motor skills development in students. Through a curriculum that includes courses in crafts, plastic and performing arts, the program aims to complement standard education requirements of public schools. In 2017 we implemented the program simultaneously in both schools, reaching nearly 100% of the student body and delivering more than 10 arts and crafts workshops.
PRODUCTIVITY: SUSTAINABLETOURISM SUPPLY CHAIN IN MICHES
The project “Inclusion of Micro and Small Enterprises in the Sustainable Tourism Supply Chain in Miches” marked its fifth and final year of implementation in 2017. Supported by the Inter-American Development Bank’s Multilateral Investment Fund (IDB/MIF), this initiative improved market access for local farmers and entrepreneurs by incorporating them into the tourism and agricultural value chain generated by Tropicalia, its partners, and other anchor companies in the region. The project also sought to initiate, develop and promote climate-smart agricultural production in Miches.

To carry out this initiative, Fundación Tropicalia received a total amount of US$466,338.02 from IDB/MIF, 47% of the project’s total investment. The Foundation put a total of US$524,657.08 equivalent to 53% as a counterpart investment. As a whole, the project represented a global investment of US$990,995.1. As we move forward, several aspects of this project have become permanent productivity programs overseen by Fundación Tropicalia:

• ¡Miches, sí!, an education and business plan competition that teaches entrepreneurs how to develop a business plan. In 2017, due to hurricanes Maria and Irma, we postponed implementation and will offer the program again in 2018.

• ¡Miches emprende!, a microfinance product that supports micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in tourism or agriculture, launched in partnership with Banco ADOPEM. It offers preferential interest rates and is accessible only to graduates of the ¡Miches, sí! program. In 2017, the fund acquired two new clients. Since its launch in September 2016, a total of US$16,048.78 has been disbursed to nine entrepreneurs (6 women and 3 men) who operate food and beverage businesses, agricultural enterprises, and arts and crafts and gift shops. These credits enabled the creation and strengthening of 27 direct jobs and indirectly benefited 135 people7 . Additional candidates have been identified as potential participants for Phase II of ¡Miches emprende! which is planned to launch in 2018.
Soy niña, soy importante Summer Camp

Fundación Tropicalia celebrated its fifth year of the Soy niña, soy importante ("I'm a Girl, I'm Important" or SNSI) summer day camp, a program that serves at-risk girls ages 9-12 years old. The camp provides guidance and a constructive, yet fun space for young girls to reflect upon their future and encourage them to make timely life choices like staying in school and postponing pregnancy.

In 2017 many girls completed their full four years of participation in our SNSI program. As they enter adolescence, we hope SNSI has given them the tools and experience to reflect on their future, their rights and their short, medium and long term goals. Family involvement and support continues to grow with more parents and grandparents attending the informational and registration sessions and in some cases, volunteering to make SNSI a reality every year.

"I feel happy and thankful for being part of Fundación Tropicalia's great work and SNSI camp. I learned a lot in Miches, from the girls and the community of La Mina. They have so little, but were able to give so much to make this the most amazing and beautiful week of my life, filled with many great lessons, laughter, joy, smiling little faces, colleagues and friends that I will always carry in my heart. But more than anything, I’ll remember these days as ones full of sincere love and affection." - María Alejandra Ali, SNSI Volunteer 2017

Milestones in 2017 include:
● Launch of an ambassadors network, composed of 19 members.
● 4,338 volunteer hours registered, ranging from camp counselors to soccer, photography, yoga, music and environmental instructors.
● 306 girls participated in three camp sessions in La Mina, La Gina and Miches. .
● SNSI social media increased its reach by 251% from 2016, achieving 353,444 impressions.
Conference on Gender Equality in the Dominican Republic: Rights and Opportunities

Following the SNSI camp, Fundación Tropicalia continued its efforts toward ensuring the accomplishment of UN Sustainable Development Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. On November 2017, we hosted the ‘Conference on Gender Equality in the Dominican Republic: Rights and Opportunities’ in partnership with Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE), with the purpose of raising awareness of violence against women and girls, and women empowerment. This event included the participation of key speakers from international agencies including UN Women, UNDP, UNFPA, Save the Children, Plan International, as well as the Ministry of Women and other national institutions working on women issues: Patronato de Ayuda para Casos de Mujeres Maltratadas (PACAM), Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC), and Profamilia, among others.
Good Behavior Workshops, Teaching Children with Love and Limits.

In partnership with Banco Popular Dominicano and PACAM, Fundación Tropicalia organized a series of workshops delivered by PACAM specialists. These workshops sought to teach parents, teachers and children how to learn and teach from a place of love, respect and nonviolence.103 children aged 9 to 12, 18 teachers and 78 parents from La Gina Primary School attended.
Cultural Identity

Fundación Tropicalia works to preserve and enhance the cultural heritage of the region by supporting various activities in partnership with the local government and community leaders.

2017 Programs include:

● The annual and historically significant “Carnaval” celebrations: In 2017, Miches’ Carnaval Committee centered its efforts on renewing local cultural identity, reviving people’s values and educating youth on their traditions. Fundación Tropicalia supported the celebration with the purchase of required materials for the municipality, as well as for the main Carnaval group “Comparsa Los Negros.” In May 2017, Fundación Tropicalia organized a gathering for the winners of the different Carnaval troupes to recognize their efforts and to exchange lessons learned among community groups.
● School Carnaval: Fundación Tropicalia sponsored the sound equipment for the celebration at the high school TV Centro La Gina.
● Fiestas Patronales: Fundación Tropicalia sponsored the celebrations of the annual traditional festivity of atabales (a regional percussion instrument) in June 2017, in which Micheros come together to honor their patron saint, San Antonio de Padua, dance and play music. It included decorations and two days of atabales performances. Moreover, Fundación Tropicalia sponsored the meals for the security staff to ensure a safe environment during the celebrations.
Hurricane Relief Efforts

In 2017, several climate disasters occured in the Caribbean region, including two major hurricanes (Irma and Maria), which devastated some islands and caused severe damage to infrastructure and human life. Hurricane Maria strongly hit the Dominican Republic and affected Miches too, drawing national attention to post hurricane aid efforts.

Fundación Tropicalia actively took part in hurricane relief efforts together with the local authorities and stakeholders to help Miches recover in the aftermath. Our staff conducted an assessment of the basic needs, priorities and affected groups. Sixteen schools, some of which are part of the PRyME network were visited to assess their conditions. Two schools – Hicaco Blanco and in particular Km. 10 – suffered severe damage to their roofs and educational materials.

Fundación Tropicalia, in partnership with various institutions, established collection points in Santo Domingo and led distribution efforts in Miches. Donations included hygiene kits, clothes, food and gas tanks for cooking. Additionally, we made donations to support the purchase of gas for response vehicles of the Municipality of Miches; provide tools to remove debri; and buy food for volunteers who worked in the recovery of Playa Arriba.

Schools received assistance with the replacement of 447 educational kits in 17 centers, in coordination with Save the Children; the recovery of the electrical system in School Km. 10, as well as its roof and toilets.

All combined and coordinated efforts from the authorities and the local population demonstrated great solidarity and allowed Miches’ recovery in record time.

"We need our community to be empowered and to continue taking actions the way we saw them with Hurricane Maria; we were able to recover our municipality in three days." - Griselin Gil Zorrilla - Community Newsletter No. 37, September - October 2017.