A Place to Play, A Chance to Grow: Hope for the Children of Batey Dos

By Makendy Jimenez, Community Coordinator, Pascal’s Pantry – Batey Dos

Every day in Batey Dos begins with the sound of children’s laughter — and often, the smell of burning garbage.

Our community is home to over 400 people, comprising approximately 70 children. Most of us came here from Haiti, seeking safety and opportunity after leaving behind a country in crisis. However, here in the Dominican Republic, life remains a struggle. Many families live in makeshift homes near a landfill, earning their income by collecting and selling recyclable materials.

Since Pascal’s Pantry began working in Batey Dos in 2017, we’ve made significant progress. Thanks to our donors, we built a permanent kitchen that serves two nutritious meals a day for every child. Our local staff, made up of community members, works tirelessly to ensure that the children grow strong and healthy. Our collaborating physician, Dr. Huascar Rodriguez, conducts medical check-ups to monitor their growth, and recently we opened two restrooms with showers and toilets — spaces created exclusively for the children.

These steps have made a difference. But many needs remain unmet.

The Reality of Life Beside the Landfill

The landfill is both our livelihood and our danger. It provides families with income, but it also fills the air with smoke and pollution. When new loads of garbage arrive, the waste is often burned — spreading toxic fumes and putting everyone, especially children, at risk. The trash contains sharp glass, razor wire, and other dangerous materials. Despite our best efforts to keep children away, they are inevitably drawn there to play — the only open space they have.

Every month, we see injuries. On average, five children are hurt while playing in the dump. It breaks my heart each time I see a wounded child. But I also understand why they go there — because they have nowhere else to play, nowhere else to be children.

The Right to Play

The United Nations recognizes play as a fundamental right of every child. It’s not just recreation — it’s essential for physical, emotional, and social growth. Through play, children learn to share, solve problems, and build confidence.

Here in Batey Dos, our children make toys out of what they can find: old wheels, rubber bands, discarded containers. Their imagination is powerful, but they deserve better.

That’s why our next goal is to create a safe and joyful playground where children can play, learn, and grow without fear. A space that nurtures movement, friendship, and dreams. We estimate the cost at $10,000, and we hope to raise these funds through our upcoming #GivingTuesday campaign.

Give a Gift

Looking Ahead: Growing and Building Together

The playground is just the beginning. We are also planning two other projects that will help families live with more security and agency.

First, we hope to expand our greenhouse, where children and adults already work together to plant vegetables. This will help us produce more food throughout the year, improve our community’s food security, and educate Batey Dos’ residents on the importance of a healthy diet.

Second, we aim to expand solar panels so families can have light in their homes. It is impossible to connect to the regular electricity system due to the irregular migrant status of the majority of the community's residents. Currently, solar panels provide energy in shared spaces, such as the kitchen. With solar energy, our community will take one more step toward independence.

A Future Full of Hope

When I look around Batey Dos, I see hardship — but I also see strength. I see parents who sacrifice everything for their children and work long days in the dump, and children who smile despite having so little.

We have come far, and we still have much to build. Every step we take is possible because of your support — and for that, we are deeply grateful.

This Giving Tuesday, I invite you to join us once again. Together, we can give our children not only safety and nourishment, but also joy — the simple, beautiful joy of play.