coffee
Dominican Republic, Environmental Restoration
Andres from Zumbador
Like much of the world, Andres relied on land to live Getting to Andres’ farm from any of the Dominican Republic’s main roads takes a series of dusty streets and switchbacks. The closer you get to the farm, the more and more it starts to look like the Garden of Eden, with coffee, bananas, cassava, […]
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All, Dominican Republic
Breaking Ground in the Borderlands
If you’ve been to the Dominican Republic, chances are, you saw the eastern part of the country, either the coast or the area around the capital of Santo Domingo. Statistically, these are the places most visitors go. Far fewer visitors go west. If you have, you may have more intimate knowledge of the Dominican Republic, […]
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All, Dominican Republic
The only nail polish I use is dirt
Fefela stands out in her community for her hard work and dedication to restoration. In fact, Fefela might never sit down. During our team’s visit to her community of Los Piños, she was up and moving the entire time, making sure that everything was running smoothly. The community of Los Piños in the Dominican Republic […]
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All, Resources
How Microfinance and Sustainability Mix
Plant With Purpose is heavily committed to the use of community savings groups. Across seven countries, over 1,200 savings groups regularly meet. Community members can bring the cash they’ve been able to save, investing that money by purchasing shares. When they’ve accumulated enough in savings, they can then take out a loan to make improvements to their […]
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About Our Work, All, Updates
The significance of a social fund
Savings groups help rural communities grow out of poverty through their own resources. As members gain the opportunity to save their money, that money is then lent out to reinvest back into the community through small businesses, livestock, education, and other means. Alongside that activity, however, groups also gather a social fund. These funds help […]
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All, Dominican Republic, Updates
Say hello to Señor Cheo
In his village, there were no banks. And that was a big problem. Palmarito is in the rural Dominican Republic. Like many rural parts of the country, the community lacked banks. This wasn’t just an inconvenience. Having somewhere to save your money makes a big difference in economic wellness. Having an opportunity to take out […]
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All, Dominican Republic, Updates
A new outlook- and a new look- in La Represa
In the central hills of the Dominican Republic sits a community that has been part of the Plant With Purpose family for many years. La Represa has become an exciting example of what kind of change is possible when we invest in holistic change. Once they faced a situation familiar to many in the rural […]
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All, Dominican Republic, Updates
Why diversify? Just ask Arfanio
Diversify! Visit any farmer field school across Plant With Purpose’s international programs, and you’ll find people enthusiastic about why you should diversify your crops and income. Why? To put it simply, diversity is strength. In many developing countries, farmers have been encouraged to over-invest in a single cash crop. At various points in time, certain […]
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All, Dominican Republic, Updates
The changed life of Pablo
Ruta 1 transects the Dominican Republic from north to south. While it is a major road, an hour away from it sit a number of communities that are quiet. Rural. Often overlooked. Maizal is one of these communities. Here, you won’t find any banks, any grocery stores, or any major commercial areas. You’ll instead be […]
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All, Dominican Republic, Updates
A Farmer's Purpose
Like much of the world, Andres relied on land to provide. Getting to Andres’ farm from any of the Dominican Republic’s main roads takes a series of dusty streets and switchbacks. The closer you get to the farm, the more and more it starts to look like the Garden of Eden, with coffee, bananas, cassava, […]
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