About Us
The Dominica School and Orphanage (DSO) was founded in 1994 in La Ureña, Dominican Republic by Dominica Rosario. For 28 years it has been a safe haven for thousands of children—many of them abused and neglected. The DSO manages to feed, bathe, educate and house children ranging from 18-months-old to 12th grade in a largely impoverished neighborhood.
Thanks to donations and support from the school’s partners more than half of the students pay no tuition or meal fees. The school serves over 800 hot meals a day, and for many of the students, this is their only source of food. In 2022, the school ranked in the top tier of the Dominican Republic’s educational facilities, with over 400 students performing far above national standards. But the DSO is more than just a school for these children—it is a space where they can mature into well-rounded and dedicated members of their community. They are bright, disciplined, and, according to Dominica, "The best children on the island."
For more information on the DSO students and staff, see our updates.
In 2022 the DSO pre-school taught and fed 64 students ages 2 through 8. Pictured here is a student named Derek, smiling during afternoon recess.
46 staff members were employed by the DSO in 2022, including 32 teachers from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines. Among the 14 other dedicated staff members are two cooks, a handyman, an administrative assistant, and several aides who care for the children between and after classes.
DSO Mission Statement
The Dominica School and Orphanage is a private center with a social mission of providing a proper education to children and adolescents from surrounding communities with serious economic and social problems. A number of students who attend the school are granted scholarships according to their living conditions and their families’ needs. In addition, some of the most impoverished students receive free access to facilities and meals at the Dominica Integral Growth and Development Center, an institution that complements the educational center and acts as a preschool for the youngest of the students.
We raise competent children and adolescents with ethical, moral, patriotic and spiritual values that can be applied in their universal development, consciousness of their environment and understanding of the socio-cultural reality in an ever-changing world. Our mission is to offer a safe, stable environment, based on human values, in which opportunities are provided for students to promote innovative thinking and the use of scientific and technological advances for the betterment of society. With this mission, the school and orphanage strives for the formation of responsible, respectful, creative, caring, wise and confident citizens who are capable of facing the challenges of the future, thus contributing to the improvement of the society in which they live.
“These wonderful children truly are ‘the best children on the island,’ and, with your ongoing help, they will become leaders in their community.”
Attendees at the April 2022 Executive Committee meeting in La Ureña. Left to right: Orester Betauces (DSO Accountant), Evis Volquez (Teacher, Board Member), Dominica Rosario (DSO Founder and Director), and Fund Advisors Phil Hawley and Lauren Norelli.
Dominica School and Orphanage Support Fund
The Dominica School and Orphanage Support Fund (DSOSF) was established in 2015 in Columbus, Ohio by fund advisors Philip Hawley, Lauren Norelli, and John Zeiger, to ensure that the school would remain open when the previous benefactors of the DSO could no longer provide the financial support needed to maintain the school’s daily operations. The DSOSF is now the primary financial supporter of the DSO--providing over 75% of the school’s funding, with over $1,000,000 in distributions to the school since 2015.
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If you or your organization want to get involved with the DSO in a meaningful way, you can contact the Support Fund here to get started.
Stay up to date on fundraising initiatives and school activities by joining our email list.
The DSOSF makes frequent visits to the school and orphanage to oversee projects, financials, and the general wellbeing of the children and their community. To read about our latest visit, click below.
Fund advisor John Zeiger (right) and his wife Cheryl with DSO pre-school students.