Holy Child Elementary School & Our Lady of Good Counsel Dispensary, Escuela Fe y Alegría
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
In 1995, Sr. Ann-Joyce Peters, SHCJ (M. M. Domina) began a mission site in an area of the Dominican Republic known as the batey. The batey lacks the most basic of necessities such as running water and indoor plumbing. The Sisters of the Holy Child founded a learning center and medical clinic to serve those living in the batey.
Employing the Montessori method at the school we founded, we serve 250 children in the Holy Child Elementary School by helping them to gain self-confidence and discipline and by developing good learning habits. We also help older children with their homework and have a weekly parenting class.
In 2003, we opened Our Lady of Good Counsel Dispensary in the batey. To date, we have served almost all of the families living in the batey and other nearby towns, accounting for more than 4,600 individuals, many of whom are battling the HIV/AIDS virus.
