​ It's hard to believe that more than 20 years ago Community Service Alliance was born.  Rigil, training Peace Corps volunteers and serving as a "bridge" to facilitate the work of new volunteers working in rural areas of the Dominican Republic saw the great potential in harnessing the talent of individuals coming to the DR.  Elizabeth, working in large international development projects, saw how difficult it was to get funding to directly support small, community organizations doing such important work.  The opportunity to channel resources directly to meet community needs while also educating volunteers is where CSA came alive.

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​Starting from a one-room space as volunteers, we have made the vision-- to transform lives and support locally led initiatives--come alive. 

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Fast forward to today, we have supported many community-led initiatives throughout the Dominican Republic, ranging from the development of a women's cooperative providing income to 60+ families, water systems and filters for clean water to more than 20 rural schools, 1,000+ youth with vocational training and hundreds who gained their first internship or job experience.  Dynamic trainings with teachers of reading and writing, including Dominican teachers who traveled to New Hampshire for trainings.  Community centers, school infrastructure, health trainings--all responding to the priorities communities asked for.

  

In these years, we have had moments of joy and frustration; pure joy and pride when our youth graduated from vocational training and many went on to obtain jobs, or returning to the Cerrito primary school to see how the team proudly uses their water filter when preparing lunches for the children.  Frustration when we want to do more and feel limited by resource constraints.  

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With each day, a letter from a former participant to express how their experience changed their career path, hearing of the progress of families we've supported or youth who have gone on to work and prosper, ignites the passion we all have to work alongside our community partners.  

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Most of all, we feel grateful.  Grateful to be part of something that gives us all the opportunity to move outside our comfort zone, learn, give of ourselves, harness new resources for our communities and find better ways to achieve our goals.  

 

Thank you all for believing in our work and continuing to support us.  None of this would have been possible without the collective support and amazing people that have joined CSA's Mission.  

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We are looking forward to all the future will bring.

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Many blessings!

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Rigil,Elizabeth and the CSA team