Health and Wellness Centre
In 2019, Partners in Deed and T.E.A.R.S. Ministries collaborated to fund and establish a Health and Wellness Centre in the under-served community of Maria Auxiliadora, Dominican Republic.
This neighbourhood (near the city of La Vega) is one of the most impoverished areas within the DR and is comprised mainly of families displaced by Hurricane David (1979). This impoverished population suffers from a disproportionate amount of health challenges that remain undertreated or untreated.
Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, the campaign was able to raise funds to build a Health and Wellness Centre within the existing T.E.A.R.S. high school. The Centre is comprised of dental, counselling, and medical facilities. The Centre focuses on the health of the T.E.A.R.S. School students and their families (upwards of 2,000 people) and is locally led by experienced health and education professionals.
The Centre is also a capacity-building teaching site for health professional trainees; currently an agreement is in place with the local Faculty of Dentistry, who will offer placements for its dentistry students.
In February 2020, the Centre celebrated its official opening. The Dominican government has provided a full-time dentist and experienced TEARS teachers are providing counselling support. Other health and wellness services will be added as funds are available.
Thank you to many donors who helped this Centre become a reality!