Human Security in the Dominican Republic
Deep Dive into the Culture and Social Systems of the Dominican Republic Learn More!Sign Up for More Info!7 Elements and Our History
Visit our Home Base location to explore a beautiful culture and community connections that we have built for over 10 years.
7 Elements was founded in the Dominican Republic as an extension of field research Dr. Addison conducted for his doctoral dissertation. Our roots are deep here, with years of community development work outside of Puerto Plata, on the North Coast, among both Dominican and immigrant Haitian communities. Our Home Base or Lodge is located in Las Canas, a small fishing village right off the coast.
The Dominican economy is the largest in the Caribbean region, fueled in large part by tourism, yet income inequality persists; essential infrastructure remains incomplete and unreliable; and government health and education services are inadequate – exacerbating both health and economic outcomes for many living on the fringes.
Currently, we are are focusing our efforts in both Dominican and Haitian communities including Las Canas, Cano Dulce, Brison, La Grua, Nuevo York Chiquito and others. Our programs in the DR focus on improving health outcomes by creating a healthy physical and social environment. The goal of our initiatives is to empower community members to direct all projects through locally skilled tradespeople to work with our students. Our goal is enable individuals, families and communities to take greater control over their health, education and environment primarily through infrastructure building. Our community led projects have included Bottle Houses, bathroom construction, local professional led medical brigades and agricultural projects to promote local economies and community structures to be used for health and education.
7e Indalo Lodge Located in Las Canas, Dominican Republic
The Indalo Lodge is where we host our students during their short term immersion trips. Built with our local partners in a small fishing village in the North Coast called Las Canas, the Lodge creates a truly rustic and real experience for our participants. Their are cabins spread across the property; each with a private bathroom and bunk beds. The Lodge is split into 4 segments; each with cabins, an eating and lecture area and communal space to lounge, relax and spend time as a group.
7e and Human Security
Learn about the fundamentals of our programs!
Our Projects
Our projects in the Dominican Republic focus on improving health outcomes by creating a healthy physical and social environment. The local economic and environmental systems also benefit. By empowering community members to direct all initiatives and employing local skilled tradespeople to supervise work on our building projects, we seek to enable individuals, families, and communities to take greater control over their health, wellbeing and environment.
1. Bottlehouse Construction
Waste management and lack of education contribute to large amounts of waste in the Dominican Republic. Our Bottlehouses are designed to provide personal security to families in very poor housing conditions and contribute to minimized waste. Learn More
2. Medical Brigades in Local Communities
Even with a functioning health care system, access to health care facilities and resources remain a problem in the Dominican Republic. 7e collaborates with local doctors and professionals to organize local medical brigades that bring access directly to the people. Learn More
3. Bottle Bathroom Construction
Communities in poor conditions often suffer from lack of sanitation. Our bottle bathroom construction provides safer facilities for families and community members that contribute to preventative health action. Learn More
Special Highlights
Take a look at some highlights of our Dominican Republic Programs. These are what our participants consider as their favorite parts of the programs!
Snorkeling in Sosua
Nothing like finishing off an awesome program in beautiful water and taking some souvenirs home for family and friends!
Jonny’s Bees
Learning about Jonny’s bee business is an awesome example of a sustainable, local and socially minded business. They honey is delicious, too!
Dudu/Playa Preciosa
A day visiting beautiful, naturally formed lagoons and finishing off with a gorgeous beach with local vendors.
Games with Community
Everyone appreciates a friendly game of pickup basketball or baseball to finish off a great day of service.
Project Days & Cultural Immersion
Collaboration with our community partners on sustainable projects fosters new relationships and perspectives every year.
Recent Travels and Programs
Stay up to do date with our program blogs for pictures and day to day recaps of our High School and University trips.
8 Day Adventure in the Dominican with Middlebury University
Getting Settled in Las Canas February 1, 2020 Hey Everyone! This afternoon we had the pleasure of meeting this lovely group at the Puerto Plata airport. We drove 45 mins to the lodge in Las Canas, gave the students a tour of the area, and had some time at the local...
From Peace Corps to Service Learning in the Dominican Republic
About Marie Macdonald Marie Macdonald is our Programming Operations Manager for 7 Elements in the Dominican Republic, Belize and Peru. She is a former Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic; her experiences and testimony have helped shaped her passions and...
Preserving Yanesha Culture in Peru
August 1-10, 2020Duration: 10 days Location: Medina Bank, Belize Program Cost: $1365 Service Hours: 20 Learn about the impacts of globalization on indigenous peoples, such as the Yanesha in our Peru Program this August! Work collaboratively as they teach about global...