Over the last few years Ready, Willing… Enable! (RWE) has been bringing weeks of summer fun to young Dominicans with special needs.
Ready, Willing…Enable! is a new charitable organization based in the United States. Its two founders, Edwin Blanton and Jennifer Catron are both Returned Peace Corps Volunteers who served in Dominica years ago. Together they identified an ongoing need and designed a way to stay involved with the country they once served. They realized that disabled persons in developing countries are often not treated equally because of their disabilities and decided young people with special needs especially want and deserve a safe space to learn and have fun.
Thanks to collaboration with Lifeline Ministries, the US Peace Corps, and the Dominica Association for People with Disabilities (DAPD), this year’s two-week camp was yet another success. The volunteers all wore shirts touting the slogan “Disability is not INability” and the camp followed that motto to the letter by encouraging all campers to participate in all levels of activities.
Over twenty young people, both with special needs and without, attended the first week of camp held in Roseau and close to fifteen youths attended the camp the following week in Vielle Casse. The campers participated in activities including candle making, collaging, singing, dancing, tag, relay races, parachute games, and ended the week with a field trip to the Soufriere Sulphur Springs.
“We tried to engage the campers in as many entertaining activities as possible,” explains Peace Corps Volunteer Amirh Morgan, “but the main goal of the camp was simply to provide the youths with a positive environment for them to interact with each other.” And the campers did just that. The pictures can’t possibly do justice, but you can tell by the smiles on the campers’ faces how successful the camp was
A special thanks to the New Day Church in Goodwill for lending your accommodations, Lifeline Ministries and DAPD for your support (and the snacks), and to Dial-a-Ride Van for providing the transportation!
ROZ – If you want to volunteer for future camps, please email your contact information to Edwin or Jennifer at [email protected]. Thanks!
Find out more info about Ready, Willing…Enable! at http://www.rwenable.org or facebook.com/rwenable! Volunteers are always welcome. Great job to everyone on the ground in Dominica!!
job well done
That is just beautiful. Like us, the disabled have a lot to contribute. How can one get involved to contribute to such an event?