Helen Calcaño celebrates 10 years as a member of the Esperanza family

Helen’s Journey

Ambitious, dedicated and determined are just a few words we could use to describe Helen Calcaño, an Esperanza Branch and Regional manager in the northern provinces of Santiago and Puerto Plata. She has dedicated a tremendous amount of her time and effort to help Esperanza International in its expansion across the Dominican Republic and Haiti; and has managed several of Esperanza’s branch offices.

Ms. Calcaño celebrates ten years as a member of the Esperanza family. Helen’s Journey began 10 years ago on April 4th 2002 as a loan officer for the San Pedro de Macoris office. However, her connection to Esperanza can be traced a little further back to when her mother was an Esperanza associate.

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Expanding opportunity for people living in poverty

Global Partnerships announces health and microfinance work in Dominican Republic

Global Partnerships is joining Fundación Esperanza in a partnership to bring integrated microcredit, health and education services to people living in poverty in the Dominican Republic.

Nonprofit social investor Global Partnerships (GP) today announced a partnership with Esperanza International to bring integrated microcredit, health services and education services to people living in poverty in the Dominican Republic. The engagement marks Global Partnerships’ first work in the Caribbean island nation.

Recent home improvement loan recipient, Ana Maria, is seen here with her daughter in her home, which also serves as a locale for her business.

Building Dreams

As the Caribbean has already seen a jump start to its hurricane and storm season this year with the early arrival of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Emily, it is always the associates and their communities in the rural areas of the island that first comes to our hearts and minds when a storm is imminent. It is estimated that over half of Dominicans live in inadequate housing: many of these homes consisting of dirt floors and tin roofs that are unable to weather heavy rains, flooding, and natural disasters such as earthquakes.

Esperanza’s Home Improvement Program offers associates with the opportunity to make such improvements and to invest in their homes and ultimately, in their families through the form of low-interest housing loans.

All Smiles!

All Smiles

The month of March was full of lots of movement and activity for Esperanza as close to one hundred visitors as part of four different groups were hosted in the Dominican Republic! Visitors came in from all parts of the United States and participated in a wide range of activities.

Smiles for Life, associated with Crown Council, participated in its 11th dental humanitarian trip to the Dominican Republic with Esperanza. A remarkable total of 672 patients were served in 3 different Esperanza communities in the Samaná region, which directly impacted associates in 25 Banks of Esperanza.

This international dental team comprised of 38 people in addition to a team of local Dominican dentists and dental students, was the largest group hosted so far.