Clothing and toys market 2023 at Manguito School in Puerto Plata.
Last summer we received the extraordinary good news that one of the Dutch companies that ships containers to the Dominican Republic brings 2 free XL boxes for our Foundation several times a year. Thanks to this generous offer, we started collecting 2nd hand clothes, shoes and toys. In October 2023, the first boxes left for Santo Domingo by boat and then continued overland to their final destination Puerto Plata.
With all these donations, we were able to organize a Christmas market at the Manguito School in Puerto Plata. Here all the children could pick out clothes and a present for Christmas. It was a great success. Even though the clothes were 2nd hand, for the children it felt like new clothes for Christmas. In addition, many received a gift for Christmas for the 1st time in their lives. In most families, a present is not a priority even at Christmas.
At the toy market, we started with the highest classes, who got to pick something in groups of 5. Some children had made their choice within 2 seconds, for others it was a very difficult choice. They saw so many beautiful things, they didn't know what to choose.
They were very happy with clothes and toys, but ................... the biggest success ............... the popcorn machine. It was a favorite with everyone (even the teachers).
For Christmas 2024, we are definitely planning to repeat this market again. The first donations of clothes, shoes and toys have already been received, but we can use a lot more, to give all these little kids a real Christmas feeling.
