Greater Voice Project Report
Follow Up Rotary Foundation Visit to San Pedro de Macoris
By Joanne Travers
Dec 6, 2005, 19:21

The Topsfield, Boxford, Middleton Rotary Club (TBM) will visit the Dominican Republic in January, 2006 to follow up with The Rotary Foundation Matching Grant project.  Rotarian Joanne Travers, member of the TBM Club, and in cooperation with the Rotary Club of San Pedro de Macoris, will conduct several business meetings that continue to emphasize the need to help deaf and hard of hearing children at CAES, a school for Rotarian in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic.  The visit will also embrace the involvement of Rotary with the development of a hearing evaluation center at a local pediatric and maternity hospital.

Checking the Stock of Supplies

The mission in May of 2005 aided over 40 children with hearing aids, donated medical supplies for hearing health management, and educational materials and therapy tools to facilitate auditory education.  Training on hearing evaluations and "learning to listen" was provided through the collaborative support of Partners for A Greater Voice, to prepare and train teachers and parents. 

The Rotary Club of San Pedro de Macoris received the container of medical devices, office equipment and school materials from TBM Rotary Club during the summer, and delivered the supplies to CAES before the school year began in September.   The school was beginning to organized and put to use these supplies, according Rotarian Joanne Travers who followed up on the project on October, 2005 and met with Dominican Rotarians to discuss continued follow through on the project.

Hanging Panels with a Smile

The Rotary Club of San Pedro de Macoris was working on three activities this fall:  helping to find security for the school on a regular basis, repairing windows and safety bars, and hanging acoustic panels (delivered in the container) on classroom walls.  This club also hopes to inspire a local corporation to pay for extending electricity to CAES, the school is situated in the middle of a very poor community that currently has no running water and electricity. 

Joanne Travers will visit again in January to assess the extent of further assistance needed.  She will continue to encourage the Rotary Club of San Pedro de Macoris and other Rotary Clubs to help this school.  "Follow through visits are most important for projects like this", says Joanne Travers.  "Often times, missions are completed, relationships die and then the people you worked so hard for wonder why nobody listens to them anymore."  According to Joanne, "Rotary needs to stay in the loop to ensure they are getting what they need.  These children desperately want to be educated, and while they are determined to learn to listen with their new hearing aids, they need a little attention....more than just hearing aids"  The children enjoy visits from people, and support from Rotary brings many smiles to the faces of children.

During the upcoming brief, yet vigorous, 3-day follow up visit in January, Rotarians are expected to have several business meetings as well as experience school with 65 children.  "Expect to get a little dirty," says Joanne.  Labor involving setting up of a classroom with the material that was donated last year may be needed.

Rotarians interested in joining Joanne Travers may call her directly at 978-312-1200 or email her at traversjo@comcast.net.