SNSI celebrates its 10th anniversary and becomes a multifaceted initiative encompassing a camp, an at-home program, a teen empowerment and activism platform, where we engage in civic participation and raise awareness around girls and women’s issues. SNSI Camp returns for the first time since the pandemic and is hosted at the primary schools: El Cedro, La Gina, and Lucas Guibbes en Miches. We launched the book Yamila Tiene Miedo, partnered with the Bentrani Group to hold a Fundraising Cocktail Party, reactivated the Ambassadors Network, and launched our mini-documentary within the film series “In Pursuit of Wellness” produced by BBC StoryWorks.

SNSI in a Box launches a 2nd edition, and through STEAM activities, reinforces the themes of  perseverance and self-esteem as girls  experienced a second year of confinement due to the pandemic. Additionally, SNSI partnered with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to pilot their girls club program, "Fabricando sueños", and reinforce teens’ knowledge about their reproductive health, family and future planning.

SNSI restructured its summer camp methodology due to the social distancing restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, and launched SNSI in a Box. From the months of August through December 310 girls received boxes of activities and education kits that kept them busy through this prolonged period of confinement. The new format brought us closer to our girls and their families, as we accompanied them directly in their homes. 

By year’s end, in partnership with the 12-04 School District and the Dominican government program  Superate, SNSI piloted the "Bebé, piénsalo bien," a baby simulator program that thrusted 63 teens into the experience of being a young mom for three consecutive days. The program gives teens and their families a new perspective on teen, unplanned pregnancy. 

The SNSI summer camp touted the theme: "My identity, wealth of my people", a concept that allowed us to increase the girls' commitment, awareness and acceptance of their values, culture and identity as agents of change in their own communities. Girls are reminded of the importance of family planning and the benefits of finishing school, as two major steps toward improving their economic and social opportunities.

SNSI breaks enrollment records, bringing its annual summer camp to more than 300 girls. In partnership with Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE), we host and coordinate the conference "Gender Equality in the Dominican Republic: Rights and Opportunities,” which took place on "International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women." This event was also supported by UN Women and the Ministry of Women of the Dominican Republic, bringing together several organizations in support of the fifth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG).

SNSI launches a program Ambassador Network composed of local influencers that support the messaging of SNSI and bring light to women and girls’ issues in the DR.

SNSI increased its visibility in social media and overall communications strategies grew more robust. As a result, new international collaborators and funding partners began paying attention to the initiative. We worked with 6 communities in Miches, and families bore witness to our work, deepening their understanding of the program and its impact on their girls.

SNSI launches its website and The Ocean Foundation supports fundraising efforts in the United States as our fiscal sponsor, establishing the "Friends of Fundación Tropicalia" project, which enables SNSI to capture tax-deductible donations in the United States.

Our volunteer program grew in scope and breadth, young professionals and other developmental specialists mostly based in Santo Domingo, expressed interest in donating their time to the girls of Miches.

Given our learning curve in 2013, we adjusted our target age group and enrolled girls from nine to 12 years old. We also increased the size of the camp from 100 to 250 girls in order to reach scale and have more impact in the issue areas we were addressing: self-esteem, gender equality, staying in school, preventing unplanned pregnancies, avoiding early unions.

To support the increased size of the camp, SNSI launches its  volunteer program, and begins fundraising work to support this growth. We partner with fiscal sponsors, Friends of EDUCA and Dominican Foundation, to collect tax-deductible donations in the United States, while Cisneros launched for the first time a matching gift commitment for employees who donate to the cause.

Fundación Tropicalia pilots summer camp dedicated to 10 to 15 year olds from Miches and calls it Soy niña, soy importante. This one-week program tends to at-risk girls, with the goal of supporting their development and reminding them of their value and role in society. Of the 100 girls that participated, we  discovered that 15% of them were already mothers, had been pregnant in the past, or were married or divorced; we quickly realized that our preventative messaging needed to reach a younger audience.