By 2027, women and youth participating in entrepreneurship, savings, and financial literacy initiatives in the Dominican Republic will strengthen economic resilience, financial inclusion, and livelihood opportunities, indirectly benefiting more than 20,000 household and community members.

By 2027, 4,000 women in the Dominican Republic will complete at least 12 weeks of targeted training and peer support, form or join Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), launch grassroots businesses, and access formal microfinance. Success will be measured through participant tracking tools and surveys, including the number of women actively participating in VSLA groups, the number of informal meeting locations established in communities, the percentage increase in earnings and savings for VSLA groups, and the number of loans granted to women clients.

By 2027, 2,900 youth participating in the YES! Program in the Dominican Republic will improve financial literacy, entrepreneurship skills, emotional well-being, and resilience. Success will be measured through baseline and endline surveys, including 100% of children and youth receiving age-appropriate education, the number of youth participating in structured savings groups, the amount of savings accumulated, 100% of participants completing entrepreneurship training, and measurable improvements in financial literacy and resilience assessments.

In the Dominican Republic, poverty has doubled since the pandemic. Women and children bear the brunt of the crisis, but they are also the key to long term recovery. ASPIRE, OIC’s partner, delivers a multi-faceted approach that empowers women, youth, and families through financial literacy, entrepreneurship training, and savings groups. Through Aspiring Together Women’s Groups (ATWG), women will receive 12 plus weeks of targeted training and peer support, forming Village Savings and Loan Associations to launch grassroots businesses and access formal microfinance. ASPIRE’s YES! Program teaches children and youth financial skills and entrepreneurship, while the new Pathways to Wellbeing initiative supports personal transformation, emotional health, and resilience.

This three-pronged program lifts entire communities—helping families increase income, educate their children, and lead with dignity. Together, we’ll break cycles of poverty and raise the next generation of leaders in the DR.