Program Reviews

I worked in the Casa de los ninos school for one year. Mainly, I assisted Kari , the English teacher of the 5 to 9 year old children. Besides playing games, explaining little grammatic tasks, such as the “s” in the 3rd form Singular or how to form the plural of different words, and be there for questions, one of my main tasks was to create new games and learn material. For me, it was very lovely to see the children play with my games and having fun. Also the working climate was very pleasant and I had a good relation to all the other teachers, who are all very nice and good colleagues. I had the feeling of being able to choose my own focus of what I wanted to do while I was in school, which is another positive aspect about my year in this institution. That way, we could choose what our workshops in the afternoon would look like and which topics we would like to concentrate on.

About the Organization Aldeas de Paz, I like that from the very beginning the coordinators were there for us, and we could express any concerns given. Our housing is very enjoyable and I like the fact that our volunteers come from different countries and work, live and enjoy our freetime together. On the other hand I think it would be good if it was a rule to have a certain level of Spanish knowledge. I know that I also came here with a very basic level, but I was very focused on learning the language, and when I reflect that year now, I come to the conclusion that a basic level of Spanish plus the will to learn more should be a precondition to come here, especially when volunteers stay only for a short time. That would lead our work to be serving more for the community then for the personal enjoyment.

For the past year, I worked in the multimedia team for Aldeas de Paz in Samaná. I had such a great time living and working with the ADP family!
During this year, we had the chance to participate in different projects, cooperate with other NGOs and supported the community in Samaná.
My highlight during the time here was interviewing the locals. For example, we collaborated with the organization ISER Caribe. Our goal was to use interviews to promote awareness, understanding and sensitivity with regards to the endangered fish: The Parrot Fish. It was an amazing way to connect with the local community and work together for a greater cause.

Additionally, it was very interesting to see and be a part of Aldeas de Paz’s transformation throughout the year. Particularly, the way the organisation has flourished, the development of new projects we initiated and developed and how we as volunteers became more involved and in touch with the locals.
I also appreciated meeting the international volunteers that joined Aldeas de Paz throughout the year. Everyone brought their own unique ideas, perspectives and culture to work here which helped to enrich the group dynamics and togetherness.
Sometimes the communication between the branch office in Samaná and Las Terrenas didn’t work very well making it challenging to distribute tasks. But I think it's normal for a growing organization to have difficulties as well.

With that said, outside of working hours, we were able to enjoy our free time here in the Caribbean! During the weekends we visited some of the most beautiful beaches, mountains and we visited different cities. We were therefore able to see and embrace most of the country throughout our year here!
I am very grateful for the experience that I have gathered here and I can recommend this a volunteering experience to everyone!

I spent nearly 12 months in Samaná working in the medicine and healthcare program. Because I stayed here such a long time I got to experience various workplaces. At first I helped at the HIV station of the local public hospital “Dr. Leopoldo Pou” and I gained an insight of how HIV treatment is organized. In the afternoons I started to accompany a dentist in the beginning in the local hospital and later in a private practice. During the second half of my volunteer service I worked in the private clinic “Los cubanos”. My work was very varied. Most of the time I supported the medical staff as far as I could. Sometimes I was even allowed to assist during a wound treatment or I translated for the doctors when a foreign patient came.
Having the opportunity to stay in a foreign country for such a long time was great luck for me. Even now I do not have the feeling that I fully understand the Dominican culture but I definitely learned a lot here. Not just about the Dominican Republic, I was also able to improve my Spanish and I gained a few medical experiences. Already these benefits would have made the year unforgettable. But in addition the Dominican Republic offers a beautiful nature. It starts with the view of the Samaná Bay right in front of our apartments. Around the Samaná peninsula are furthermore various paradisiac beaches and at some point it became a luxury problem having to decide to which beach to go on the weekends.
All in all I am really happy that I volunteered here and grateful for the opportunity. The advantage of being a volunteer with Aldeas de Paz is that you can profit from numerous contacts which could help you for instance if you want to initiate a new project. Moreover our coordinators in Samaná were always available for our problems and very supportive. And last but not least you can profit from other volunteers! In the last 12 months I met very interesting and friendly people who broadened my horizon and with who I made a few unforgettable experience. And what else could you wish for than an interesting country, beautiful nature and amazing people?

My name is Leonard Bargfeld and I was working in a public clinic, with Aldeas De Paz, for one year. In Las Terrenas I was living in a flat with another volunteer which was perfectly fine for two persons. Even though powerouts appear time by time, welcoming colleagues, dream beaches and perfect weather indemnify such situations.
Getting used to the Dominican culture was at first not easy for me. Norms and values are not the same as in western countries, resulting of different circumstances.
I had a couple of problems to deal with. However, I learned that a problem is there to be solved. Comparing cultures is not the solution. After some time I realised that no culture is better or worse than another, there is just a difference and if you understand that, it will become easier to deal with all the things you normally could not deal with.
I’m grateful that I met so many people from all over the world, which were interested to broaden their horizons, like me. Additionally I gained a lot of experience, which is the most valuable thing to take back home.
The project in the UNAP Clinic in Las Terrenas was really interesting, the doctors and nurses were really welcoming, even though we had some communication problems in the beginning. During my year not only my Spanish developed but my knowledge about medicine and the health system too.
As you are able to discover the whole country I would recommend a stay of at least two month.
The organisation is still developing and tries to implement lots of projects. Everyone is really committed and passionate about their work.
I gained a whole variety of experience and I want to give a special thanks to: Vito (coordinator Las Terrenas). He is a hard working coordinator and helps out whenever help is needed. Vito tries to improve the organisation every day.
My friends and I had a wonderful time with him and I ́m really grateful that I had this opportunity in my life.
Thank you Aldeas De Paz!

In my volunteering I worked a year at the Mama Elba school in Samana, Dominican Republic. It was very nice sometimes difficult and hard but with time you learn a lot about children, work with them and you find the solutions so that everything goes well. What I liked most about working at school was the love of children. They are very sweet with all the volunteers and they are always happy to see us and play with us. That for me is the most valuable of that work.

The organization Aldeas de Paz takes care of all the volunteers and their needs. The coordinators are always available if there is a problem, at any time you can talk to them. They help us the best they can in everything and that is very important to feel safe in a country away from family and friends.
The special thing about the Dominican Republic for me is tranquility. Everything is done without stress and life is like a vacation. People are very happy, open, affectionate and you feel welcome wherever you go. Everywhere there is strong music, not everyone likes it but I love it. Dominican food I like a lot, especially natural juices and fruits that in Germany there is not. Seeing the sea and the beach every day for me is a paradise. The malecon and bridges are my favorite places here in Samana.
I recommend volunteering with the Aldeas de Paz organization because they take good care of the volunteers. Also all the volunteers have a nice relationship and are very close. They are like a family, so I recommend it to all those who want to live an unforgettable time and a unique experience in this tropical paradise called Dominican Republic.

En mi voluntariado yo trabaje un año en la escuela Mama Elba en Samana Republica Dominicana.
Fúe muy lindo a veces difizil y duro pero con el tiempo se aprende mucho sobre los niños, el trabajo con ellos y uno encuentra las soluciones para que todo salga bien.
Lo que más me gusto de el trabajo en la escuela fúe el amor de los niños. Ellos son muy dulces con todos los voluntarios y siempre se alegran mucho de vernos y de jugar con nosotros. Eso para mi es lo más valioso de ese trabajo.
La organización Aldeas de Paz se ocupa de todos los voluntarios y sus necesidades. Los coordinadores siempre están disponibles si hay algún problema, a cualquier hora uno puede hablar con ellos. Nos ayudan lo mejor que pueden en todo y eso es muy importante para sentirse seguro en un país lejos de la familia y los amigos.
Lo especial de la Republica Dominicana para mi es la tranquilidad. Todo se hace sin estrés y la vida es como una vacación. La gente es muy alegre, abierta, cariñosa y uno se siente bienvenido donde va. En todos lados hay musica fuerte, no a todos les gusta pero a mi me encanta. La comida Dominicana me gusta mucho, sobretodo los jugos naturales y las frutas que en alemania no hay. Ver el mar y la playa todos los días para mi es un paraiso. El malecon y los puentes son mis lugares favoritos aquí en Samana.
Yo recomiendo hacer un voluntariado con la organización Aldeas de Paz porque ellos se ocupan muy bien de los voluntarios. También todos los voluntarios tienen una linda relación y son muy unidos. Son como una familia, por eso yo lo recomiendo a todos los que quieren vivir un tiempo inolvidable y una experiencia única en este paraiso tropical llamado Republica Dominicana.

My name is Ümmühan and I’m 22 years old. I participated in a medical project from the organization Aldeas de Paz in the Dominic Republic. I worked in a clinic, which is called CLINICA ESPECIALIZADA INTERNACIONAL in Las Terrenas for 6 weeks. I’m currently doing an apprenticeship in the 3th semester as a nurse in Germany. I thought it would be difficult to change the way I work in the hospital because of the have different guidelines in both countries. For example: In Germany we have to use disinfection solutions after each contact with patients. But that doesn’t exist in the clinic, so you have to wash your hands with soup after each contact with patients. The nurses showed me everything in the first few days. After that it was easy for me to work, I gave injections, prepared medicine etc. I didn’t only learn the work in the hospital, I learned to think and act like a Dominican. And I liked that. The whole personnel of the clinic were like a family to me. They cared about me every single day. It was a good feeling. I can only recommend being a part of this Project. I got a lot of experience and I improved my Spanish skills as well. These were the goals, that I reached. I want to thank the clinic, Aldeas de Paz, the director and the coordinator, ¡Gracias por todo!

My name is Caroline Neite. I worked with the organization Aldeas de Paz in Las Terrenas for six
weeks. I worked there as a volunteer in a private hospital because I participated in a medical
project. In Germany I am currently doing an apprenticeship as a nurse, so I can to study medicine afterward, therefore I saw the project as a great opportunity to improve my medical knowledge and to get more working experience in the professional field. What I can say after six weeks in the hospital is that I really learned and saw more things, which I did not learn or see in Germany before. It started with measuring blood pressure and later I was allowed to give intramuscular and intravenous injections. In addition to that I could assist in small operations, most of the time caused by accidents with “motoconchos“. When I had questions the Doctors and nurses always helped me a lot. That’s the reason why I have learned so many things about the effects from medicine and of course I could improve my Spanish a lot in speaking with the staff. My highlights definitely were to see bigger operations like a c- sektion or an ablation from an uterus. Of course the standards are a little bit different in comparison to Germany but the clinic is very modern and the methods they are using in the hospital are working very well.

About the organization I can say, that they always had time to help me when I had something I
wanted to speak about. Additionally I really enjoyed the time with the other volunteers and that
we all had our apartments in the same house. Every week on Monday we had a group meeting to speak about everything that is going good or bad. I liked that kind of exchange with the group and I would work with the organization again anytime. But not only the people I worked together with are really friendly, also the Dominican people are really openhearted and try to help whenever they can. I am sure that I will come back to Las Terrenas one day. Thanks for the great time!

Thanks to the Fundacion Aldes de Paz for bringing me such an enjoyable, memorable volunteering experience. Working on a farm was definitely one of the best experiences in my life.

The Dominican Republic is a very beautiful Caribbean country. It is well known for its blissful beaches. The Foundation is located in Samana, which is wild and verdant, with coves, bays, waterfalls, mountains and awe-inspiring views – there is lots to explore. It is such a pity that local animals are suffering. Because of low education and tradition, people in the DR believe dogs and cats carry diseases. Also, dogs disturb people’s lives such as barking at night or seeking food in trash cans, so there are lots of street dogs in Samana. Julia and Sebastian (two sweet and thoughtful staff members from the foundation) introduced me to a farm owner Kim at the first day I arrived in Samana. Kim is also a defender of animals. She takes in street dogs, takes care of sick and poisoned dogs and also teaches locals how to take care of their animals.

There are lots of things I could do on the farm: clean and maintain the farm equipment, provide clean water and feed animals, learn how to observe the health condition of horses, pigs, dog etc. But most of the time I just played with dogs. Giving them attention and making them trust humans is very important. There are 30 young healthy dogs on the farm, one of my jobs is training the dogs with some simple orders, correcting their behaviors for when they get the opportunity to be adopted in a big city. I love animals. And I believe that a sustainable future for the planet can only be achieved if both animals and people are part of the solution. My journey in Samana was short (only 2 weeks), but it was meaningful and helpful. Also, I had a good time with other volunteers who worked on other projects, I enjoyed the local food and the beautiful landscapes. Finally, I want to thank Julia and Sebastian for helping to make my trip safe, comfortable and meaningful.

During my stay in Samaná, I did work in the Mamá Elba school, which is a school for children with special needs. I really liked my work there and for me it was interesting to see how every child acts differently in the same situation. Furthermore, they get to know you with the time and became less shy. The most amazing thing was to see the developments the children made when they suddenly started to count or know new colours. Even though I only stayed for a short time, the children grew close to my heart very quickly and I looked forward to seeing them every day and playing with them.

I like the aim of the organization Aldeas de Paz, but sometimes the communication didn‘t work properly and it was a little bit chaotic. But the coordinators are very helpful and there for you at any time and help you with every problem you have.

I quickly fell in love with Samaná. It is a nice little city close to the beach. I love the culture of the Dominican Republic – they are always happy, listening to music and ready to dance. The whole mentality is very easygoing without any stress.

I would recommend this volunteer service to everybody who wants to experience an adventure, is willing to help people and wants to get to know himself better. In my time here, I learned more about myself and noticed that you don‘t need much to live. Already one little thing can make a big change in your life.

All in all, I really loved my work here and would do it again at any time.

My experience in Samana with Aldeas de Paz has definitely exceeded my expectation in a couple of different aspects. First, by working as a dental assistant through the dental care program, I was able to work with a dentist side by side, directly interact with patients, and closely observe the reality of dental care in a developing country. Staffs at the hospital including my dentist were very nice to me which made it easy to adapt and become part of the team. It had been a valuable experience that I wouldn’t be able to experience elsewhere. Next, I got to meet amazing people here – other volunteers. Open-minded people with great hearts come here to volunteer and it was great to spend time with them by working and traveling together, sharing stories and lives. I am blessed to have these friendships. Overall, it was a tremendously enriching experience!