A Story of Systemic ChangeA Story of Collaboration

“Let justice roll down the mountainside and God’s impartial love be an ever flowing stream”

Amos 5:24

Blessed Fredric Ozanam said……….

“ Charity is not sufficient. Ittreats the wounds but does not

stop the blows that causethem… Charity is the

Samaritanwho pours oil on the wounds of

the traveler who has beenattacked. It is justice’s role

to prevent the attacks.”

Break the Cycle of Poverty

This presentation addressed what the

Vincentian can do to bring about justice,

through collaboration with people who

are poor, to break the cycle of poverty.

Break the Cycle of Poverty

It considered poverty not

as the inevitable result of

circumstances but as the

product of unjust situations

that were be changed.

The Ocoa River Community of 100 villages in the Dominican Republic was plagued by:

Thousands of Infant Deaths

Chronic hunger and Illness

Depression and Hopelessness

People lived day to day

Children did not go to school

Families could not even help each other

There was little food or water

Listened to the voices of the peopleStressed that poverty as not inevitableDesigned a plan with the leaders of the villages The community embraced the plan

The local missionary priest :

The Plan

• Get water to the 100 villages of the community

• Start small – five villages at a time

• All people of the community to do the work

• Fund the project through SVDP twinning

Innovative Fund RaisingSVDP – Twinning/Cluster Twinning

Finding Resources

Leaders got government approval People of the villages did the work Started small - 5 villages at a time Aqueducts and pipelines were built Pumps were installed

The Work Began:

Now, water flows to 100 villages

The community is healthy Crops are growing Irrigation systems are in place Children go to school

One Hundred villages emerged from

poverty through the collaboration of a

visionary priest, the local community and

the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

Design flowed from Vincentian ValuesPoverty not considered inevitableProfound respect for local cultureProject was self sustainable and holistic (jobs,

health, housing, education and spiritual growth)Replicable

Systemic Change Strategies Implemented

Involved the poor at all stagesPromoted community solidarity and ownershipShared vision and participationStarted small Transparency

Systemic Change Strategies Implemented