Villa Progreso

The Challenge

In 2011, 47 Dominican families were evicted from their homes and relocated to La Guazuma, a rural area in Las Galeras, Samaná, without access to running water, electricity, or basic services. For over a decade, they lived in extreme vulnerability, without educational or community spaces.

In the Dominican Republic—especially in rural areas—school dropout rates are high and job opportunities are scarce. In places like Las Galeras—despite its tourism potential—many people live without access to technical training or decent employment, trapped in cycles of structural poverty.

Faced with this reality, We Through the Wall, in collaboration with the local NGO Ama y Educa, decided to get actively involved. In March 2025, we reopened “Villa Progreso” Cultural Center, transforming an abandoned lot into a living space of learning, community, and dignity.

Our Response

The Villa Progreso Cultural Center serves as a beacon of opportunity for the families of La Guazuma. It offers:

  • A children’s play library, based on the concept of learning through play.
  • Academic reinforcement classes for children and teens facing educational delays.
  • Arts and vocational workshops for adults, including sewing, recycling, cooking, massage, carpentry, electricity, and more.
  • English classes.
  • A community computer center, opening new doors in a region where tourism is key.
  • Cultural, recreational, and community-building activities.

The center is not just a place of learning, but of care, empowerment, and transformation. It is built day by day through a commitment to educating with love and walking alongside the community through active listening.

How can you help?
    • Donate to help ensure the long-term sustainability of the project (funds, materials, school meals, teacher salaries, etc.). Better yet, subscribe as a member on our website to sustain the project, the teachers, and more.
    • Sponsor a child for $10 per month.
    • Support with books, educational toys, technology, or furniture for the various classrooms.
    • Share this story on your social networks or media channels to help it reach more people.
    • Join us as a volunteer, in a community immersion experience set in one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world—surrounded by beaches like Playa Grande, La Playita, and Playa Frontón.

“Like a drop in the ocean, every lesson creates waves of knowledge and hope.”

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