PHOTO: Esperanza Fellow, Lindsay Hunt, in Batey Prudencia .

The Summer Fellowship Program aims to equip future leaders in business, healthcare, public policy, and social work to effectively engage the crisis of extreme poverty in our generation. Fellows are assigned to a variety of projects that expose them to micro-finance and Esperanza’s plus programs such as in the area of education and health care. Esperanza believes that the future of development belongs to the leaders who possess the mind of a banker and the heart of a pastor.

The program will run from June to August 2010 and the application deadline has been extended until April 19th, 2010.

PHOTO: by Operation Rainbow

During the past three weeks since the devastating earthquake in Haiti, Esperanza teamed up with its partner organization, Operation Rainbow, in providing immediate medical assistance to earthquake victims in Jimaní, the bordertown located directly between Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

So far, three different teams of approximately 40 orthopedic surgeons and staff from the U.S. successfully contributed to the total of 540 surgeries that took place at the Buen Samaritano Hospital. This tremendous success can be attributed to Operation Rainbow’s extensive mobile surgery experiences worldwide in addition to the medical supplies they were able to bring with them.

Despite the pain and suffering of the patients, there was some hope and inspiration when last week with the assistance of Operation Rainbow staff and other OBGYN doctors, a healthy baby boy was delivered in the hospital.

Tribune newspapers photo by Carolyn Cole / January 15, 2010

On Wednesday,20 January, at 6:00AM a 6.1 magnitude aftershock struck Haiti (with an epicenter approximately 35 miles north of the capital, Port-au-Prince). This is the largest aftershock yet and it comes just eight days after the tragic 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit the capital.

In light of this disaster, Esperanza is partnering with various doctors and medical volunteers in the towns of Elias Pina and Jimani, located on the border with Haiti. Loads of water, food, personal hygiene items and medicines have been shipped to these areas. We are also working with our already established network of pastors and church leaders who are currently preparing sites in Port-au-Prince to receive aid directly into the country.

As the situation in Haiti becomes dire, we are still in need of cash donations from our partners abroad. Monetary gifts of $40 to Esperanza´s Disaster Relief initiatives will provide a family with its basic necessities (food, bottled water, healthcare kits, etc.). For more information on how to help, please contact the Esperanza Disaster Response Group at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Photo by Lisandro Suero, www.chicagotribune.com

On Tuesday 12, at approximately 5:53 PM, Haiti experienced the shock of a 7.0 eartquake. While some tremors were felt here in Santo Domingo, there are no serious reported damages or injuries in the Dominican Republic. Esperanza has worked for 5 years in the north of the country in Tru-du Nord, Haiti. We have been able to confirm with our office there that our associates and employees have been spared from any harm.

As there are few lines of communication to Haiti at this moment, we ask for continued prayers for the families of our Esperanza employees living in Port-au-Prince and for all Haitians affected by the earthquake. We are working with churches and other partner organizations in Haiti as we coordinate immediate relief response.

As an immediate necessity, we would request from our partners abroad, gifts in cash, which will help expedite the arrival of relief to the region. A $40 donation to Esperanza´s Disaster Relief initiatives will provide a family with the basic necessities (food, bottled water, healthcare kits etc.) for ten days.