Not just a land of transparent waters and shimmering sand: despite the economic recovery brought about by the strengthening of public enterprise and the concession of tax exemptions, the Dominican Republic is still rich in contradictions and fraught with tension. Tourism has helped turn the country's fortunes around but, at the same time, created other problems such as female prostitution and child labour. Uncontrolled urbanisation has resulted in social situations of extreme moral and material decay that do not transpire from the official statistics

Has the local population genuinely benefitted from the recent transformations?

They no longer live in complete poverty. When I first came here, about 30 years ago, 70% of the population lived in awful conditions and there were 5000 starving children on the streets of Santo Domingo alone. Over time the country has dragged itself away from the poverty line… thanks to family bank transfers made by Dominican communities abroad, the investment of foreign funds, the establishment of free zones and the development of tourist resorts; yet the situation is still rife with problems: you cannot talk about "social" capitalism because the State still doesn't guarantee healthcare and education for its citizens, and resources are badly distributed. There is 1 doctor for every 935 citizens and 39% of children between 5 and 9 years are illiterate. The country has to contend with structural problems such as the scarcity of electricity and drinkable water. The hotel industry and businesses with tax concessions provide work but not development: the large hotels belong to foreign chains and even the free zones depend on the economic cycles of other nations; all sectors produce goods and services for the foreign market using local and low-cost manpower.

These hardships are felt most keenly by the children who, according to the most recent estimates of the Instituto de Estudio de Poblacion y Desarrollo – IEPD, make up 42.8% of the population. Poverty breaks up families, which are often made up of teenage mothers that have been abandoned by the father and left with little chance of looking after their children; the children distance themselves from their homes and end up on the streets, underpaid and mistreated in factories or slipping into the worlds of drugs and prostitution.

This phenomenon affects 17.8% of children between the ages of 5 and 17 (around 400,000 in total) and is so widespread that, in some regions, as much as 50% of children are absent from school.

The situation is aggravated further by the eternal conflict with Haiti. There are 2 million Haitian immigrants in the country, "trapped" in the sugar cane plantations with no residence permits or work contracts.

According to UNICEF, each year over 2000 Haitian children are illegally brought in to the Dominican Republic to beg, work as shoe shiners, or labour on farms or in construction. At least they are spared from the humiliation of being forced into the abhorrent world of child prostitution, which counts for 25,000 Dominican children.

Dominican street children fall into a number of distinct categories:

- The canillitas: take the name of the trinkets that they sell in the street; they have families that exploit them rather than support them. Many also work as shoe shiners, newspaper sellers and window cleaners. Few go to school.

- The palomos: live permanently on the streets and have no family whatsoever. They sleep rough, eat when and however they can, and live on their wits (begging, stealing etc.). Recent studies have shown that those who live in similar conditions from their infancy – sniffing glue and being beaten – do not make it to 25.

- The aprendices: errand boys and girls that earn little or nothing.

- The chiriperos: take their name from the chiripa, the meagre earnings of the temporary worker. Unlike the canillitas, who have the same trade for years (e.g. shoe shiner), the chiriperos do different jobs throughout the day: porter, mobile salesman, window cleaner etc.

What tangible form does the Salesians' commitment take?

It takes the form of specific activities and specialist centres in Santo Domingo, Barahona, Jarabacoa, La Vega, Mao, Moca, Santiago de los Caballeros, San Pedro de Macorís. The missionary fathers work with local enterprises and international organisations to bring in street children and children at risk and offer them better living conditions and new opportunities in terms of education and training. More specifically, in Santo Domingo they work with the International Volunteers association on the Muchachos y Muchachas con Don Bosco project to help children from the suburbs to escape violence and illegality and integrate in society.

The initiatives range from educational assistance and health and psychological care to sporting and recreational activities. Introduction to the working world involves courses in silk screen printing, ceramics, bread and pastry making, plant engineering, joinery, upholstery and hoteleria (cooking and bar/restaurant services). The training courses are between 9 months and 2 years in length and take the form of a succession of modules; the youngster acquires practical knowledge, experience and – above all – belief: at the end of the course not only does he or she have technical knowledge, they also have the desire and conviction to fight against their alienation and precarious situation.

The Salesian commitment is also directed at solteras mothers, preparing them for work on the informal market and educating them in the areas of human rights and equal opportunities; this also extends to those seeking employment or opening a business with consultancy services and microcredit programmes.

This isn't easy: it requires both the means and the ability. There are many obstacles but the results attained compensate for the effort put in: the laughter we hear in the classrooms and labs encourage us and strengthen our resolve.

Rather than on the street, nowadays many muchachos fill the corridors of schools. Rather than smiling at tourists – with trinkets in their hands – they now smile at teachers, their books under their arms. Many children can finally now lead a free and dignified existence, they can enjoy a calm and safe life, a child's life: made up of play and study.

Useful links:

www.muchachosdonbosco.com (Muchachos y Muchachas con Don Bosco Project)

www.sdbj.org (Salesiani in Jarabacoa)