NPH Dominican Republic: What Love Can Accomplish

Purposefully designed to resemble a small town, Casa Santa Ana is situated in the middle of two extremes; poor migrant sugar cane farmer settlements (bateys) and professional US baseball leagues. The backdrop of the bateys has enabled our family to truly serve the most vulnerable population, undocumented Haitian workers and their families who are smuggled through the border. Beginning in January 2003, the home began with seven children in a rented house in the town of San Pedro de Macoris. Today there are now over 200 children living in 12 family-style homes on our own property.

Through a benefactor, a large plot of land was purchased and construction began on the NPH village of Casa Santa Ana. In September 2005, the family moved into their new home. Thanks to the help and support of dedicated local construction workers, volunteers and staff from all our fundraising countries, and to both national and international donations, construction has continued over the years. The facilities consist of two school buildings, volunteer & visitor house, multi-purpose auditorium, administration building, chapel, central kitchen, clinic, two smaller visitor homes and four homes for staff. The property also includes various agricultural areas, farm land, greenhouse, playgrounds, gardens, basketball court and our own baseball and soccer fields.

Also on our property is Casa San Marcos- Marco Simoncelli, is our special needs home. It was designed to fit the needs of all our children, especially those in wheelchairs. It has multiple therapy rooms, including a therapy pool. The home is large enough to house up to 20 children and their caregivers, giving us the chance to help more children with special needs.

Casa Santa Maria, also referred to as the “Haiti House,” is a community service program at our home in the Dominican Republic for children from Haiti with cancer. These children are referred to the program from the NPH Haiti St. Damien Pediatric Hospital. The children and their parent or guardian can stay in the NPH home in the DR while receiving radiation therapy in the capital, Santo Domingo.

With the use of our greenhouse and other farmland, we are able to produce organic vegetables to feed our children. Many youth participate in the planting and cultivation of the crops and are excited to see how their hard work produce various vegetables and plants. Furthermore, our new residential house is almost entirely powered by solar panels; this is possible due to a donation by CESPM.

NPH Dominican Republic is led by Kieran Rigney and his wife, along with over 90 dedicated staff.

Milestones