As the children complete our program as teenagers, we will work with them to provide vocational training and help them find employment.

All of the students at our school are a part of our sponsorship program, which provides them with a quality, Bible-based education, food and vitamins, clothing, and medical care. For more info on our sponsorship program, contact us (erin – please make this a link that takes them to my email address.)

Too see updates on our school and students, read our blog or join our facebook group, Makarios Student Sponsorship.

Poncho Mateo, Severét, Chichigua, Tamarindo, Caraballo, and Negro Melo
We continue to work in the villages surrounding our school, providing a variety of services as we are able. Groups and interns help us further our mission with their skills and education. Projects include adult literacy, language training, vocational training, and community development.

Arroyo Leche
Arroyo Leche is a small farming community in an isolated area located in the hills beyond Caraballo. There is a small, one-room public elementary school where we are able to teach a weekly Bible class. It is a blessing to be able to teach these children about God in a public school.

Makarios Farm Project
Makarios has launched a new agricultural development program in the region surrounding its education programs. After purchasing a large plot of farmland, we will implement a vocational training program where students will learn farming techniques, composting, sustainable agricultural development, and business skills. As part of their training, students will plant and harvest crops that will be sold at reduced prices in the bateyes. After completion of the multi-year vocational training program, participants will receive their own small plot of land, on which they can continue to grow food for their families and to sell to villagers. In addition to Makarios’ vocational education, students in our elementary education programs will have the privilege of taking field trips to the farm and learning about plants and farming.

Ruben Ottenwalder, our coffee coordinator, will manage the farm project, and he will serve as a teacher and a mentor for students in the program. The farm project will also create well-paying jobs for up to ten part-time employees. Part-time workers will be tasked with preparation and maintenance of the land.

The goals of Makarios’ farm project are many. Education is a primary focus, and students of all ages will gain increased agricultural awareness and business skills. The vocational training will help participants feed their families and find employment outside of the sugar cane fields. The project encourages independence, ownership, and long-term agricultural planning. Because of their immediate hunger, poor Haitians and Dominicans often hesitate to plant crops that take a long time to produce food. They prefer to focus on plants that grow food they can eat in a few months instead of a few years. In our agricultural program, we hope to emphasize long-term, sustainable development efforts that will offer sustenance for years to come. Additionally, because batey residents will be able to purchase food from our farm at cost, the farm project serves to reduce hunger in the bateyes. Families can purchase more food at a lower cost, and the money they save can potentially be used for healthcare and education.