News
Dominican Republic Relief Trip Planned for January 2010
The World Organization for
Positive Action (WOPA) will be conducting our first relief effort
for 2010 in the Dominican Republic. This is going to be a big
event for us, since it will be the first in which the organization
will be leaving behind something more permanent. For this trip, we
will be building a latrine and repair roof tops in the community of
Loma De Korea, San Cristobal. We also will be distributing
food, medical supplies, toothbrushes, toothpaste, along with
providing medical attention to children in Barahona.
In order to reduce our financial costs, WOPA calls upon our
supporters one more time, as we are trying to collect canned
goods to ship to the Dominican Republic. Thanks to one of
our members, Ruth (from Ruth's Restaurant in Paterson, NJ), the
cost of shipping will be covered at no cost to the
organization. This is an opportunity we want to take
advantage of so that we can accomplish more with less.
Please let us continue our journey to keep providing help to those
in need. Show your support by contacting any of our board members,
to give any extra can goods you might have in your home.
Please remember that anything you give us will go to people that
have desperate needs.
WOPA Scholarship Program
WOPA is pleased to annnounce a new scholarship program for 2010. WOPA will be providing a scholarship in the amount of $500.00 to a college student in New Jersey. More information and the application form are available on the scholarship page.
El Salvador Relief Effort in August 2009
The
World Organization for Positive Action (WOPA) recently completed a
relief initiative in El Salvador. WOPA President Eddie Tobal, Vice
President Abel Jimenez and Webmaster Alex Lindgren traveled from
the United States to El Salvador to distribute food, toothbrushes
and toothpaste in the Costa del Sol area of El Salvador.
On Sunday, August 30th, 100 bags of food containing 5 pounds of rice, 5 pounds of beans, 5 pounds of sugar, 2 bags of powdered milk and 2 bags of vegetable oil were distributed to 100 families. In addition, each family received toothbrushes and toothpaste. Over 600 people were reached with the average family size of five. After the initial distribution, additional food was distributed to people who had not received tickets.
El Salvador is a small country in Central America. The GDP per capita on a purchasing power parity basis (a measure of wealth which takes into account the cost of living) for El Salvador is $6,200 compared to $8,100 in the Dominican Republic and $47,000 in the United States.
Watch a video from this trip is on YouTube.
July 6th, 2009 - San Cristobal
United States members of the World Organization for Positive
Action returned to San Cristobal to provide continued support of
community members.
In early 2008, the World Organization for
Positive Action and members of the Dominican Republic's Public
Ministry teamed up to provide relief in Loma De Korea, San
Cristobal. Once members completed the relief effort it was apparent
that the San Cristobal community would need continued support. We
are now able to reach out to the community on a monthly basis and
provide food.
One particular family that we reach out to each time we are there
is a 67 year old man who cares for all nine of his grand children.
Although he works very hard it is still difficult to make ends
meet. Upon our first visit to his home we discovered that they only
had dirt floors, now we are happy to announce that they have
concrete floors and food every month!
On our July 6th outreach we brought approximately 25 bags of food
and reached out to community members to see what we could help out
with next. Now, World Organization for Positive Action is faced
with the challenge of providing new tin roofs and latrines for
several families within the community. We have made an impact and
we will continue! WOPA plans to resolve at least one of these
issues in January of 2010.
Watch a video from this trip is on YouTube.
July 4th, 2009 - Bahoruco Neiba Relief Effort
Members of the World
Organization for Positive Action and the Dominican Republic's
Public Ministry teamed up to perform the largest relief effort
since the start of the organization in 2006. The team consisted of
twenty five people and ranged from Medical Doctors to Police Men.
We assisted families with food, basic hygiene materials, medical
consultation, and medicine. Food and medicine donations from the
two teams resulted in over $3,000 of materials.
The World Organization for Positive Action and the Public Ministry
reached approximately 450 families in the Bahoruco Neiba
community. Over 150 bags of food were provided to families;
the bags of food contained spaghetti and tomato sauce, rice and
beans, sardines, and oatmeal. Each bag was created for a family of
four, and was made to last for 4 days.
Our team of
doctors provided medical consultations for 607 children.
Consultations provided diagnosis for skin problems, parasites,
malnutrition, and physical deformities. After receiving
prescriptions, parents were provided medication for their children
through our pharmacy. Medicine that was provided included vitamins,
medicated sulfur soap, and parasite removal.
In order to expand our outreach efforts we also provided
toothpaste and toothbrushes to children within the Neiba community.
Overall we provided 120 toothbrushes and 60 tubes of toothpaste.
This was the first relief effort in which we tried hygiene
materials and it was a great hit. We will continue to bring these
new hygiene materials to future relief efforts.