Fiscal Year 2003 Annual Report Summary

Dominican Republic

• Participants in the Floresta program planted 110,455 trees, reforesting 139 acres.
• Floresta began a collaborative program with the Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Agrícolas y Forestales to conduct agricultural research and improve the local quality of Floresta¹s work.
• 16 micro-credit loans were made, financing small business ranging from broom manufacturers, to artisans to vegetable distributors. 16 previous micro-credit loans were paid off.
• Floresta finalized negotiations with the Dominican government to collaborate on a large-scale reforestation project in the Maimón watershed.
• Floresta initiated an ambitious program to collaborate with rural churches of diverse denominations to set up discipleship groups and a rural evangelism program.

• 23,246 trees were planted, reforesting 36 acres. Two new nurseries were established in Río Plaza and Chinapa.
• Family gardens are taking off. Vegetables include cucumber, peppers, lettuce, tomato, onion, cilantro, cabbage, spinach, radish, broccoli, and squash. 23 new family gardens were built this year, bringing the total to 43. Family diet and nutrition are drastically improving. Some families are selling their surpluses.
• 52 new micro-enterprise loans were given to entrepreneurs and farmers. 38 loans were repaid this fiscal year. 138 loans have been made in the lifetime of the project.
• A new fish farm with 5,000 fish is operating well. Farmers in El Porvenir are already eating and selling fish.
• 23 new rural stoves were built. The stoves reduce fuelwood consumption by 50% and dramatically reduce respiratory illness.

• Participants in Floresta¹s program planted 12,112 trees.
• 2400 fruit trees were grafted to produce much higher quality fruit. This fruit has given significant economic benefits to the farmers.
• 239 microenterprise loans were made to participating farmers, bringing the project total to 1362 loans.
• 15 lay leaders were trained and the best of these was hired as a field chaplain to oversee ministry to the farmers.
• 18 freshwater cisterns were constructed for drinking water and for watering trees. Over 11,000 seedlings are being produced in the associated tree nurseries.
• Floresta continued its literacy program, begun in collaboration with Laubach Literacy, pioneering it in two villages, and graduating 17 individuals.

For a complete copy of our 2003 annual report please contact the office.