Villa Progreso Cultural Center
The situation
In 2011, 47 Dominican families were evicted from their homes and relocated to La Guázuma, a rural area of Las Galeras in Samaná. For more than a decade these families lived in extreme vulnerability — often separated from one another and without access to educational or community spaces. In 2022, they were finally resettled in a rural sector located on top of a hill, about 15 kilometres from the nearest urban centre.
Families in Villa Progreso either have no jobs or work without social protections. Educational levels are low and schooling is minimal. Isolated on a hill with only a couple of motorcycles for transportation, these families remain cut off from the opportunities that the booming tourism sector could provide.
Faced with this reality, WTTW, in collaboration with the local NGO DUNA, took action. In March 2025, we reopened the Villa Progreso Cultural Center, transforming an abandoned lot into a hub for learning, community and dignity. The project was developed using a bottom-up methodology, with particularly strong involvement from women, who face the highest rates of unemployment and exclusion.
What we are doing
Villa Progreso Cultural Center offers a playroom based on learning through play, designed to foster early childhood development; academic reinforcement classes for children and teens facing educational delays; arts and vocational workshops for adults, including sewing, recycling, cooking, massage, carpentry and electricity; English classes with job placement opportunities in tourism and other sectors; a community computer centre; and cultural, recreational and community-building activities.
The centre 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 support the project's sustainability by covering materials, school meals and local teacher salaries. Sponsor a child's education for just $15 per month. Organise drives in your community to donate books, educational toys, technology or classroom furniture. Volunteer for an immersive community experience. At Villa Progreso, progress is possible — families are resilient, all they need is a chance to grow.