What better place to produce such a whimsical and fun
product then among the big smiles and island music of the Dominican Republic. A
look behind the scenes of the chicken attire production reveals a mission of
social change and meaningful employment to a group often overlooked and under-served,
the women of Puerta Plata!
Nestled in between the mountains and the sea, Puerta Plata
is home to beautiful beaches, bustling commerce and bountiful agriculture.
Behind the scenes of this perfect climate, picturesque pasture, and spectacular
coastline, live the unnoticed women- the widows, single mothers, and the
undocumented descendants of the sugar cane workers, immigrants who have crossed
the mountains in hopes of finding a better life, escaping the barren land and
desperate poverty of Haiti.
I came to the island years ago as most do, to relax and
enjoy the luxuries of the resorts. However, as glorious as the resorts are, it
was the people, their music, their smiles, their outlook, who made a lasting
impression. The island is welcoming,
warm, fun, and full of love. Venturing outside of the resorts opened up a whole
new world for me- a world of lasting friendships, epic adventures, and a love
for dancing Merengue.
Despite the magic of the tropical paradise, there is no
denying the desperate poverty which surrounds far too much of the population. Connivance's
America’s poor take for granted such as flushing toilets, running water and
reliable electricity are luxurious for only a few. In stark contrast to the
endless all you can eat buffets of the resorts, the children of the hotel
workers are living on meals of rice, beans and salami.
While listening to friends, volunteers, and ex-pats discuss
the woes of the island late into the night, the reoccurring theme was always "no jobs"…the lack of well-paying
steady jobs. As a lifelong entrepreneur I always had a dream I would be able to
give back to an island that had given me so much and these conversations
planted a seed which over the last few years has begun to grow.
Pampered Poultry was born almost by accident; it has
blossomed through a collective passion for poultry shared by our customers and
by our society’s growing interest in backyard chicken keeping and a collective
desire to share in the local food movement and a need to be closer to our food,
healthy and more in harmony with nature.
As the business grows here in this country, it has also
afforded the opportunity to include the women whom I had met and promised to
help on the island. Diana, the owner of Suncamp, and a tireless supporter of
the Haitian community in Munoz, has been a partner is getting the idea for a
sewing co-op off the ground. She has generously opened her apartments for
sewing space, shared her connections in the community and through her
foundation has helped to start what we hope will on day grow into a self-sustaining
organization that offers it members good pay and educational opportunities for their
children and grandchildren.
Right now the group is small, 6 dedicated women, 3
Dominicans and 3 Haitians working side by side. Pampered Poultry is the
primary client, but we are working on bringing other companies into the co-op.
We are also supporting the women and their children by offering our customers
and their friends the opportunity to purchase the required school uniform, which
the women will sew and then donate to a child who would otherwise not have the
resources to attend school.
We are working together to create a world where all our
friends, including those with feathers, can enjoy a good life- as we all
deserved to be pampered!
