The phrase, "cambia mis estrellas", which, in English means, "change my stars" comes from the 2001 movie, A Knight's Tale. If you haven't seen the movie, it is a story of a boy who was born a peasant in Great Britain. His father lived a miserable life and sent his son off to assist a knight in search of a better life for him. As he sent his son off, he let him know that he can change his stars, meaning that he can change his social class or his overall position in society and in life. This phrase, "change my stars" is a theme throughout the film as the young man grows up and, with impressive determination, actually becomes a highly respected knight.
Many residents of Puerto Plata Dominican Republic where Project Esperanza has been serving since 2006 seek to "change their stars" as well. As an organization, we oppose and further discourage the mentality that in order to change one's 'stars' or socioeconomic position one must move to a more developed country. We have faith that the same practices that bring about success can be adopted right here in the Dominican Republic, allowing for the same success.
The keys to adopting these successful practices are education, discipline, and consistent support. With English being the dominant language of the developed world as well as a highly sought-after skill in this tourist-based economy, we have chosen to focus on English education. With the poor public school system being another large barrier in the success of its students, we also provide aid to certain students to receive tutoring and scholarships to attend private school.
We intend to use this blog as a space for logging our progress with the camp, preschool, and scholarship program.
We thank you in advance for your interest and support. Should you have any further questions or are interested in donating you can email the CMS coordinator, or simply donate through Paypal.
