Campo Amigo - Santo Domingo, DR
July 19 - August 5, 2025
Campo Amigo was our first program in the Dominican Republic and is aimed at those who want to empower local children who have type 1 diabetes and their families, as well as those who want to combine diabetes outreach with a love of travel and exploration. During this program, volunteers will collaborate with AYUDA’s partner organization Aprendiendo a Vivir (AAV), a local diabetes organization based in Santo Domingo. Accepted volunteers, led by AYUDA staff, will work closely with AAV local staff, local endocrinologists, and rising youth leaders to plan and implement community outreach projects and diabetes education workshops that will motivate and support people with diabetes of all ages and their families in multiple provinces in the Dominican Republic. The team will work together to run Campo Amigo: a two-weekend-long diabetes education program focused on children with type 1 diabetes and their families. Volunteers will also participate in-home visits and outreach trips to nearby cities, such as San Pedro de Macorís and San Cristóbal, to see first-hand how these families manage their children’s diabetes.
Local Program Objectives
Empower youth to be role models and leaders of social change and share their knowledge with others.
Motivate parents and young people to understand that type 1 diabetes is a manageable condition.
Improve diabetes knowledge, beginning with the themes of leadership and self-esteem.
Strengthen local capacity-building initiatives of AAV outside of Santo Domingo and throughout the Dominican Republic.
2025 Program Timeline
November 3, 2024: New Volunteer Application Portal Open Online
December 8, 2024: Early Application Deadline
December 21, 2024: Early Decision Acceptance Notification
February 23, 2025: Final Application Deadline
March 1, 2025: Acceptance Notification
March 9, 2025: Volunteer Training Program E-course Begins
March 28 - 30, 2025: Volunteer Training Program Summit in Los Angeles, CA
July 12, 2025: Pre-Program Fundraising Deadline
July 19 - August 5, 2025: Campo Amigo In-Country Program
September 6, 2025: Final Fundraising Deadline
Fundraising Goal for Program
$7,000, plus flight costs to the Dominican Republic. $6,500 is due one week before the program begins and $500 is due one month after the program ends. Please note, once volunteers have reached their $7,000 fundraising commitment, they may use their fundraising page to raise funds for their flights. AYUDA will reimburse up to $1,000 for travel expenses, with proper documentation. Volunteer accommodations, some group meals, and group activities are provided/sponsored by AYUDA & AAV.
For a more detailed explanation of this, please see our Volunteer Core Competencies.
Local Partner Organization
AAV is a Dominican non-profit organization based in Santo Domingo. The organization provides children and adolescents living with diabetes the opportunity to improve their quality of life through educational programs. The goal of these programs is to provide tools and knowledge to help young people living with diabetes better manage their condition, improve their nutrition, and prevent future complications.
Volunteer Training Program
To ensure AYUDA engages respectfully and appropriately with international diabetes communities, every volunteer we recruit participates in an intensive, well-established AYUDA Volunteer Training Program (VTP). The VTP offers a culturally sensitive and well-received approach to diabetes education, cultural awareness, lifestyle training, youth empowerment, and leadership through comprehensive sessions on AYUDA Background & Guiding Principles, Team-building & Mentorship, Fundraising & Social Entrepreneurship, Living with Diabetes, and Cultural Training & Country Program.
AYUDA invests significant resources in its volunteers. In return, volunteers invest valuable resources in AYUDA that ensure quality programs and strategic goals. Pre-program training is well established at AYUDA and begins the moment volunteers are accepted into their programs. Every volunteer participates in the intensive AYUDA VTP, the purpose of which is to prepare AYUDA volunteers to serve as agents of change in the diabetes communities where they will volunteer.
Learn more about the AYUDA Volunteer Training Program here.
Sample Campo Amigo Volunteer Program Itinerary
Coming soon!
In-Country Program Description
AYUDA supports local projects that focus on youth empowerment as defined by AYUDA’s empowerment model. Once abroad, AYUDA volunteers undergo a Cultural Training Program that is run in conjunction with our Local Partner organization AAV. The AYUDA volunteer team works with AAV leaders, local endocrinologists, and rising AAV youth leaders to foster leadership and team-building and prepare for the subsequent outreach and diabetes education camps. Emphasis is placed on sustainability and empowering local youth to replicate the activities throughout the year.
There are six main components to the In-Country Program:
1. Cultural Training
Volunteers receive supplemental Health & Wellness training and Safety & Security training upon arrival
Volunteers gain an understanding of local customs, traditions, etc.
Volunteers learn about and understand reality of diabetes in the Dominican Republic
Volunteers participate in AYUDA/AAV group and leadership activities
Volunteers begin outreach training to prepare for home visits in underprivileged provinces/cities around Santo Domingo where many of AAV-supported children with diabetes and their families live
Volunteers prepare for implementation of AAV outreach & education strategy according to volunteer skillsets
Volunteers work with AAV staff, local endocrinologists, local youth leaders, and their families
2. Community Outreach Projects
Volunteers are divided into groups with other AAV youth leaders to plan multiple workshops in provinces surrounding Santo Domingo. Key goals are to inform, educate, and motivate children with diabetes and their families
Volunteers take part in selected home visits to increase the integration of families into the local diabetes community
A goal of outreach is to motivate AAV youth with diabetes to be leaders for other youth
Another goal of outreach is to motivate parents to be leaders/educators for their communities
3. Pre-camp Training and Campo Amigo Preparation
Volunteers, AAV youth leaders, and AYUDA staff prepare for Campo Amigo by working together to plan camp activities to educate and motivate children with diabetes
Volunteers review Local Partner’s objectives and outcomes for activities
Volunteers review diabetes protocols, perform team-building activities, and prepare activities with local leaders
4. Campo Amigo Dominicano Projects
Volunteers, AAV youth leaders, AYUDA and AAV staff, and Dominican medical staff plan and lead:
Diabetes education programs (target populations: newly diagnosed children, at-risk children and their parents)
Youth Leadership workshops (target populations: rising young leaders from AAV, medical students, family members)
5. AYUDA Research Project*
The optional AYUDA Research Project is an opportunity for volunteers to pursue their academic and/or professional interests in addition to the normal Campo Amigo program requirements
The Research Project will be tailored to each volunteer’s unique interests, and volunteers will have the opportunity to interact more with AAV, type 1 families, medical professionals, and others based on their proposed project
Successful completion of the Research Project will result in a Certificate of Completion signed by AYUDA Staff and a letter of recommendation from AYUDA Staff
6. Program Wrap-Up
Wrap-up sessions with all volunteers and AAV youth leaders
Next steps: Becoming AYUDA Alumni and reviewing future leadership roles with AYUDA
*The AYUDA Research Project is available to volunteers who are at least incoming high school juniors.
COVID-19 Precautions
We are extremely excited for the opportunity to once again host in-country programs in the Dominican Republic in spite of the continuing global pandemic. As much of the original Campo Amigo program has been maintained as possible while ensuring the safety of our volunteers, staff members, local partner, and the families with which we work. Certain changes have been made to the program, including:
All AYUDA Staff, Program Leaders, Volunteer Mentors, Volunteer Mentors-in-Training, and new volunteers, in addition to AAV staff & volunteers and camp attendees, must be fully vaccinated and boosted for COVID-19.
Camper and workshop attendee capacity is limited.
All volunteers are expected to adhere to CDC Guidelines, as directed by AYUDA Staff and Health Care Professionals. For more information, please see our full COVID-19 Policy.
Post-program
AYUDA volunteers return to their respective communities and continue to serve as agents of social change.
E-course wrap-up and feedback session is conducted.
Post-program fundraising goal of $500 is met by the given deadline.
Volunteers become part of a broader network of AYUDA volunteers and may choose to participate in additional AYUDA activities.
Volunteers may apply and be selected to become Volunteer Mentors-in-Training or Volunteers Mentors for the 2026 program.
