On National Youth Day, the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), announced the launch of “Change Makers” in the Dominican Republic. Change Makers is an initiative carried out by Alerta Joven which has generated 5,826 jobs in the last five years in partnership with 87 local private sector companies.
This acknowledgement shows the importance of investing in at-risk youth and how the private sector can contribute to reducing violence and crime in the country through vocational training, life skills training, and internship opportunities. In his opening remarks, Chargé d’Affaires Robert Copley said that “with the right skills, young people are the force that is needed to promote progress and build a more inclusive, dynamic, and modern society.”
