Empower 15 women as leaders, Improve health of 600

Thanks to your continued support, our 12th cohort of Community Health Leaders in Baitoa is nearing graduation and their impact is already being felt across the community.

Progress & Training Milestones

Despite a class being cancelled due to Hurricane Melissa precautions, the cohort remains on track. Four practical classes remain, each designed to equip participants with skills that directly improve health access:

• (1) Injection administration:
  Students will learn how to safely give injections, including insulin — eliminating the costly need for hospital visits for neighbors managing diabetes.

• (2) Blood pressure monitoring:
  Leaders will learn to assess hypertension risk and identify when someone needs urgent medical attention — a skill that has previously prevented life-threatening emergencies in the community.

• (3&4) Comprehensive course review & final exam:
  Ensuring graduates are confident and prepared to serve as trusted volunteer health resources in their neighborhoods.

Commitment to Service

Community Health Leaders in this program pledge to provide guidance and support to their communities without charging for their services, reinforcing our mission of community-driven, equitable healthcare.

As a gesture of appreciation for their dedication, each participant will receive a small “thank-you” gift during the final class and a group dinner.

Graduation Ahead

We anticipate holding the graduation ceremony in early December at a local restaurant — a special celebration recognizing the group’s hard work and leadership.

Your Impact

Your generosity continues to turn education into action. With every new cohort trained, health knowledge grows stronger in Baitoa household by household. These leaders become the first point of support when crises arise, helping neighbors make informed decisions that can save lives.

Thank you for your support in making health equity a reality in Baitoa.

Links:

• GRACE Cares Website
• Project Hearts' page on GRACE Cares.

Dear Project Hearts Donors,

In rural Baitoa, Dominican Republic, many families face preventable health issues simply because they lack access to basic knowledge and resources. Not only is public health education limited, but high transportation costs make medical care hard to reach. Led and supported by members of the community, Project Hearts steps in with a model that invests in people, not just temporary fixes.

We’re excited to share that on June 18, Project Hearts officially kicked off our 12th cohort of the Community Health Leadership (CHL) Program in Baitoa. Some medical emergencies have prevented the full group from meeting all together, but we anticipate a total of seven to eight women will participate this cycle!

Among the students, we have both new and familiar faces. One woman had previously enrolled but had to withdraw due to work commitments. She’s returned this year, now running her own business and with more control over her time. This illustrates that the program leaves a lasting impression on our members. Another participant is the new Youth Empowerment Program Coordinator at Project Hearts, further building bridges across our different programs.

The course continues to be led by Juana, who was a student herself in our very first CHL cohort more than 10 years ago! Later in the year, she’ll be joined by Manuela, our WASH Program Coordinator, who will lead sessions on administering injections and taking blood pressure. Like Juana, Manuela also first got involved in Project Hearts as a CHL student, and is now nearing college graduation with a nursing degree. Their growth and leadership are exactly why this program matters.

To set the tone for what is to come, the curriculum began with a class on leadership and what it means to be a leader, sparking enthusiastic participation. As the months progress, students will receive notebooks, binders, and writing supplies, followed later by blood pressure cuffs, stethoscopes, and small incentive gifts of their choice. To complete the program, each student must share what they’ve learned with at least five families in their neighborhood, multiplying the program’s reach throughout Baitoa. The program will culminate in a final exam in November and a celebratory graduation in December. Once this class completes the course, Project Hearts will have trained over 100 Community Health Leaders in and around Baitoa. That’s 100+ women equipped to teach their neighbors about clean water, reproductive health, and chronic disease prevention, and sometimes quite literally to save lives, including their own.

Your continued support makes all of this possible. If you’d like to help cover student supplies, support the upcoming graduation, or invest in the next generation of health leaders in Baitoa, please consider making a gift.

Thank you for believing in the power of women-led health education and leadership. At Project Hearts, we are so proud of what these women are building not just for themselves, but for their entire community.

With gratitude,

The Project Hearts Team and GRACE Cares

Links:

• Project Hearts' page on GRACE Cares
• GRACE Cares Website