Teacher Mentors Abroad (TMA) helps teachers in needy communities improve their instructional practices and positively impact the achievement of their students.

TMA currently works in partnership with G.E.M.A. D.R., our host in Hainamosa, Dominican Republic, northeast of the capital city of Santo Domingo. Their outreach focus of providing tools and opportunities for emerging educational and community leadership is centered through their school Joyas de Cristo. Pastor José Lopez, the leader behind this initiative, says “education is the greatest change agent in society”. Since 2009, TMA programs have been delivered through public schools in the Dominican Republic, namely San Jose de Mendoza and Dr. José Francisco Peña Gómez , a public school near Hainamosa with over 2,000 students. In 2011 the program was located at the Centro de Excelencia Prof. Liduvina Cornelio in order to accommodate parallel programs for teachers and administrators. Lead teachers and educators participating in workshops and the annual conference, are widely representative of areas of the capital city.

The Dominican Ministry of Education officials are very collaborative with TMA in ensuring the program is offered to teachers from schools of greatest need.

In the Dominican Republic there is great enthusiasm and hunger for learning among Dominican educators in spite of the challenges they face working in very under-resourced conditions.