A Medical School Graduate in the Dominican Republic
POSTED ON Jul 15, 2010
Charinson poses proudly with his diploma after the graduation ceremony on July 2.
Charinson stands with COTN–Dominican Republic staff (l-r) Maria Davidsmeier, Santos De Leon, Malou Faublas, Teresa Luperón, and Ricardo Peña.
Charinson plans to serve in the COTN medical clinic in Barahona after completing his internship.
Charinson and some proud family members.
Students line up to graduate on July 2 in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic at the Universidad Central del Este.
On July 2, Charinson Yan Feliz accomplished one of his life-long goals: he graduated from medical school. The 27-year-old is not like most graduates, however. Charinson was born into a family of seven siblings in one of the poorest areas of the Dominican Republic. He was a child who didn’t get enough to eat every day, whose parents couldn’t afford to send him to school, and who owned no more than the clothes on his body. He was a child who never imagined that one day he would be given the chance at a different kind of life.
That day came when Charinson was 14 years old. Children of the Nations (COTN) began its ministry in the Dominican Republic in a batey called Algodón. As with most bateyes in the Dominican Republic, Algodón was originally erected as a work camp for Haitian sugar cane workers. However, when the sugar plantations closed and the need for manual labor ended, the workers and their families had nowhere to go—falling into a cycle of poverty for generations.
In 1997, COTN launched a Village Partnership Program with Algodón (similar programs now exist in four other bateyes), enabling Charinson and other children to attend school and receive medical care, clothing, and a warm meal every day. Through this program, COTN hoped to not only help change the lives of the destitute children—but eventually of the entire community. Suddenly, Charinson had the chance to dream big. And that’s exactly what he did.
By the time Charinson graduated from secondary school with COTN, he knew he would work as hard as he could to become a doctor. “Medicine is like an art to me,” he says. “And I want to be the best artist.” No one from his family, community, or even from COTN’s program had ever gone to college. Charinson was eager to become the first. He applied for a scholarship through COTN, who recognized the young man’s potential to be a leader in his country.
After taking nursing classes for a year at the nearby community college, Charinson moved a few hours away to study medicine at Universidad Central del Este, where he graduated four years later. He says the classes were difficult, and being away from his family taught him how to take care of himself—both worth the incredible result: his diploma on graduation day. “COTN has been with me in the best and in the worst moments of my life,” Charinson says. “I don’t know how to express my great feelings now. My dream has come true.”
Charinson’s dreams do not stop there, however. After his upcoming year-long medical internship, he wants to continue his studies and become a general surgeon. He plans to use that new knowledge to help those in his community of Algodón. “The best way to help my community is to improve health quality by performing operations and giving informational talks,” he says.
Charinson is the first child from COTN’s ministry to graduate from college. His story represents a beautiful victory, and shows that a better future for these children and their communities is, in fact, possible. It also provides encouragement that COTN’s vision of raising children who transform nations can become a reality. Others still in COTN’s Village Partnership Program now look at Charinson’s achievement as an attainable goal for themselves—and they’re working toward following in his footsteps.
In order to help these students beyond elementary and secondary school, COTN continues our University Student Program. It’s made up of college students who need sponsors to help them attend university and pursue their goals, as Charinson was able to. “Many young people want to [attend university] like me, but they don’t have the support to study,” Charinson says.
COTN wants to change that. Sponsors can help enable these bright young adults to have different futures and to break the desperate cycle of poverty in their families. Charinson is an example of such a possibility. “COTN is a great blessing in my life because I have received the support to study,” he says.
Help a student like Charinson earn a college education! Please visit our list of university students who need sponsors.