Have you given much thought about what it's like to be a 12 year old girl in the Dominican Republic? I don’t mean in terms of statistics, like the fact that the Dominican Republic ranks extremely high in adolescent pregnancy and child marriage in Latin America and the Caribbean, with over 40% of girls becoming teenage mothers and 36% of girls marrying before 18. I mean, have you thought about how that translates to the day-to-day experience of a girl living in Cabarete?

While we are not a school in the traditional sense of the word, there is an incredible amount of learning happening at the Center each day! In fact, the Mariposa center first girls is one of the premier educational institutions on the island of Hispaniola.

Not only does swimming support a healthy lifestyle through exercise, but it also empowers the Mariposas to overcome fears and learn a new skill, and it encourages safety around the water. 

Once again the Mariposa DR Foundation is at the forefront of environmental awareness and change in our community.  With our eco-brick project, we have, with the help of our community, prevented over 4,000 pounds of plastic and trash entering the sea!