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.

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.

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.

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.

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.