Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic shares the Caribbean island of Hispaniola with the country of Haiti. Tourism and agriculture is the mainstay of the economy of the Dominican Republic. The mainstays of the country's agricultural crops are rice, sugar cane, beans, coffee, tobacco, bananas, and cassava.
There is a strong sense of family among the people of the Dominican Republic. It is common for members of the extended family, including grandparents, cousins, and other relatives, to live in the same house.
Plan's work
Because families, particularly in rural areas, often can't afford to send their children to school, education is one of Plan's main concerns. We improve children's access to primary schooling and to learning opportunities by helping to build schools and with the supply of books, research materials and uniforms. We also focus on child health issues such as immunisation, malnutrition, diarrhoea control and treatment and de-worming.
Another area of Plan's work with families is improving their immediate environment by helping to repair their houses and by making improvements in sanitation and the supply of water and electricity.
