“Why is it just for girls? That’s what the boys in the neighborhood ask,” explains Victoria Jones, as she sits on the striped futon in the center of the Mariposa DR Foundation‘s office on Calle 9 in Cabarete, Dominican Republic. Victoria has served as a volunteer with the Mariposa DR Foundation since August of 2011, and she will continue to serve the organization until December of 2012 as she completes her practicum for her M.A. in Social Justice and Intercultural Relations from the School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vermont. “I was supposed to go to Tanzania to teach ESL, but Ria [Shroff, another Mariposa volunteer and former School for International Training student] convinced me to come here.”

Victoria Jones poses in front of the library in the office of the Mariposa DR Foundation, located on Calle 9, Callejón de la Loma, Cabarete, Dominican Republic.

Over the past year, this poised and thoughtful young woman has clearly made an impression on the families of Cabarete, as several of them have photographs of her in their home and mentioned her by name when asked about the Mariposa program. The teen girls who participate in the Mariposa DR programs are the sole focus of Victoria’s work in the foundation. “Our three overarching goals for all of our girls is that they feel safe, learn skills, and have fun,” she explains. In addition to providing the girls with an out-of-school-time community center, Victoria and the team of Mariposa staff and volunteers provide a wide range of trips and activities outside of the Mariposa office, including swimming, tennis, volleyball, soccer, and capoeira.

Victoria knows the needs of and individual goals for each and every young lady in the program:
“Maritza* used to lack listening skills, and she had difficulty with showing respect for adults and peers. She has developed a lot of maturity as a result of being a part of this program. Ana* is unable to read, and she used to make a lot of negative comments. Julia* devours books. She asks questions, and she shares knowledge. Paula* and Mariana* struggled with attendance, and then they were a part of a sewing program that we did. It helps them with motivation, and they started coming a lot more. They increased their alphabet knowledge. They didn’t know the Spanish alphabet, and they struggled to sound out words.”

Victoria’s extended stay in the Dominican Republic has forced her to spend a lot of time analyzing the difficulties for the young ladies who grow up in the Cabarete community. “These girls are developing as adolescents, and they are learning attitudes, communication skills, and social relations. Their parents may or may not have basic skills. They are very sexualized in this culture, and there is an industry of sex tourism.”

However, Victoria also feels the appreciation and respect of the community: “I was automatically a part of Cabarete when I came here because I was working with the Mariposa Foundation. My work is valued, and I feel very protected here.”

*Note: To protect student’s privacy, names have been changed.