Seven New Training Centers to be Built with Donations from Taiwanese Government

Seven New Training Centers to be Built with Donations from Taiwanese Government
Dominican Republic, 08/12/2010

As part of the brotherhood and collaboration agreements between the Dominican Republic and the Republic of China (Taiwan), the Office of the First Lady (DPD in Spanish) received a sum of $2 million dollars earmarked for the construction of seven training centers.

The goal of the financial collaboration is to support activities that will promote the DPD on a national level in its work with more than 600,000 people who will benefit from the training centers.

The Collaboration Agreement was signed by First Lady, Margarita Cedeño de Fernández, in the name of the DPD, the Chinese Ambassador in the DR, Isaac Tsai and America Bastidas, deputy minister of International Cooperation from the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development, according to the ministry’s Office of Communications.

This donation corresponds only to the first distribution of funds that will be disbursed to the Office of the First Lady from China’s government. The goal of the financial collaboration is to support activities that will promote the DPD on a national level in its work with more than 600,000 people who will benefit from the training centers. Of this number, 130,000 poor families who form part of the Progressive Program will be helped.

The Collaboration Agreement also provides continuity for the strategic actions implemented by the DPD. With this year’s funds, they will build seven new Training and Progressive Production Centers located in the provinces of Higüey, Monte Plata, Barahona, San Pedro de Macorís, Baní and two in Santo Domingo. In addition, they will build and/or remodel three emergency pediatric centers and hospital wings in Bonao, Azua and Castillo, at a cost of $4 million US dollars.

“Since I began my tasks as First Lady, we are changing the “hand-out” mentality for a culture of progress and development. But to achieve the necessary development we have to rely on commitments from all sectors of society and on strategic allies who support us in achieving our mission. One of these allies is the government of Taiwan which has decided to support the development actions we are promoting on a national level,” said the First Lady, Cedeño de Fernández.

The Chinese Ambassador in the DR praised the work being done by the Office of the First Lady for Dominican Society in the areas of education, health, children, women and low-income families, among other things.

“All the achievements reached by her Excellency the First Lady have earned a great deal of appreciation, praise and admiration in Dominican society as well as the international community,” concluded the diplomat.

Thanks to the previously-donated funds, two training centers in Boca Chica and Sabana Perdida are in their final phases of construction as is a pediatric emergency room in the Puerta Plata Hospital.

In addition, they have built and equipped two Training and Progressive Production Centers in the province of El Seibo y Manoguayabo, which are benefitting more than 5,000 families through their computer, electronic and handicrafts courses as well as a small retail shop, among other things.

Chinese Ambassador (Taiwan), Isaac Tsai; First Lady Margarita Cedeño de Fernández; and deputy minister of International Cooperation from the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development, América Bastidas, sign Cooperation Agreement.

Chinese Ambassador (Taiwan), Isaac Tsai; First Lady Margarita Cedeño de Fernández.

First Lady Margarita Cedeño de Fernández. 

Chinese Ambassador (Taiwan), Isaac Tsai. 

DPD executives participating in activity.