Carpentry workshop in the bateys of the Dominican Republic: Hope for young people

In the bateys of Quisqueya, in the Dominican Republic, many families of Haitian and Dominican origin live in extreme poverty. These families work six days a week on the sugar cane plantations, enduring very difficult working conditions and receiving very low wages.

Thanks to the support of the Roncalli International Foundation, the congregation set up a workshop that includes an area for producing furniture and a showroom to display it. Young people between the ages of 14 and 25 learn to make various types of furniture, everything from chairs and kitchen tables to beds and church pews. In addition to providing technical training, the workshop also allows them to generate income through the sale of the furniture, which helps to improve their living conditions and those of their families. 

The workshop building is 15 years old. Its renovation and the purchase of new woodworking equipment  were therefore essential to the implementation of the project. This means that quality training and the production of furniture in line with industry standards can be offered. In addition, the renovation of the showroom allows the products manufactured to be displayed and sold to the local community.

The economic inclusion of vulnerable communities, education, and the empowerment of young people are essential levers for breaking the cycle of poverty and opening up new prospects!