Citi Foundation And The Trust For The Americas will Benefit 3 Dominican Communities with Innovation Labs

ADASEC Dominicana begins operations in the new DIA Innovation Lab that will train and empower young Dominicans with a curriculum focused on innovation and entrepreneurship 

Santo Domingo - May 17, 2022. In a face-to-face event, Citi Foundation, The Trust for the Americas, and ADASEC Dominicana celebrated the official launch of the first DIA Innovation Lab in the Dominican Republic, a collaborative space that will provide the communities of Baní, Bonao, and La Vega access to technology such as computers, 3D printers, and laser cutters; and will train young people in digital, business and labor skills, to contribute to employability and the generation of livelihood opportunities. 

This lab is an initiative designed by The Trust for the Americas organization, through the Democratizing Innovation in the Americas (DIA) Program, and implemented thanks to financial support from the Citi Foundation. The new lab in the Dominican Republic is the third to be born from this alliance, after a successful implementation in Jamaica (2016) and Trinidad and Tobago (2021). 

The event was conducted by the lab's local partner, the Dominican ADASEC association, and included the participation of Rodrigo Iriani, Senior Manager of the DIA Program – The Trust for the Americas; Tomás Ramón Aybar, president of the International Federation of Social, Ecological and Cultural Aid Associations (FIADASEC); as well as representatives of ADASEC Dominicana: Rafael Lorenzo, president; Luisa Jorge, executive director; and Allen Feliz, project coordinator. Also virtually, Gabriella Hache, in charge of public relations for the Citi Dominican Republic, and Alexander Figueroa, chief of operations - The Trust for the Americas, attended.  

“This space for collaboration, creativity, and invention will impact 300 young people, providing them with training in cutting-edge technology and innovation, we are proud to be part of the development of sustainable communities. We believe that this will help them build an entrepreneurial mindset and acquire leadership necessary for the benefit of their families, communities, and the country in general”, shared Gabriella Hache, in charge of public relations for the Citi Dominican Republic. 

The Innovation Lab in the Dominican Republic, or the DIA Lab RD, will promote innovation and entrepreneurship hand in hand with social responsibility, which reaffirms the commitment of the parties involved with the United Nations 2030 Agenda while contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals: 

• #1: End of poverty. 

• #4: Quality education. 

• #5: Gender equity. 

• #8: Decent work and economic growth. 

• #10: Reduction of inequalities. 

• #17: Alliances for goals. 

On the importance of alliances to achieve positive changes, Alexander Figueroa, chief of operations of The Trust for the Americas, commented that the organization's work has been possible thanks to joint efforts with local partners, non-profit entities, private companies, and governments that share a single mission. “This is not the first time that we have worked with ADASEC Dominicana as a local partner. Today we celebrate that the collaboration continues and we take a new step on this path by inaugurating the first Innovation Lab in the country, hand in hand with the Citi Foundation, with whom we have been working and impacting the lives of thousands of people in the Caribbean since 2016” Figueroa added. 

Thanks to the geographical presence of the local partner, this will be the first DIA Lab in the region to operate simultaneously in multiple provinces within the same country through three locations (Baní, Bonao, and La Vega), which will allow it to effectively achieve some of the objectives of the first year:  

• Train and empower 300 young people with skills for entrepreneurship. 

• Offer 19 training courses to complete a 40-hour training program for 2 months. 

• Hold 2 competitions (Pitch Tank and Hackathon) to grant financing and promote the development of business ideas or social projects aimed at solving local challenges to improve the quality of life of the community. 

"Initiatives such as the DIA Lab help to break the circle that generates poverty, especially that produced by lack of training and education. At ADASEC, we have implemented 32 social projects with national and international allies. We are proud that ADASEC Dominicana, who has been working in communities for more than 30 years, has been selected as the person in charge to carry out this project that will surely transform the landscape of the country's youth”, commented Tomás Ramón Aybar, president of FIADASEC. 

For more than 5 years, The Trust for the Americas and Citi Foundation have impacted the lives of 3,139 people in Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago, providing access to the DIA Innovation Labs and resources to contribute to employability and entrepreneurship through digital literacy; and job and life skills training. With the launch of this new laboratory, they seek to replicate the positive result in Dominican youth.  

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About The Trust for the Americas:   

The Trust for the Americas is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization affiliated with the Organization of American States (OAS). It was established in 1997 to promote public and private sector participation in social and economic development projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. Our initiatives, implemented through local partner organizations, seek to improve access to economic opportunities as well as to foster innovation in vulnerable communities in the hemisphere. To this end, The Trust also promotes social inclusion and good governance. The Trust has offices in Washington, D.C., Colombia, and Canada.   

More information: www.thetrustfortheamericas.org    

Facebook: The Trust for the Americas  Twitter:   @Trust4Americas   

About Democratizing Innovation in the Americas (DIA):  

DIA is a regional initiative launched to foster innovation and empower new generations through access to technology training, specialized curricula, collaboration spaces, mentorship, and financial resources for social and economic ventures.  

About Citi:

Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management.   

Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com | Twitter: @Citi | YouTube: www.youtube.com/citi | Blog: http://blog.citigroup.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/citi | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/citi.   

About Citi Foundation:   

The Citi Foundation works to promote economic progress and improve the lives of people in low-income communities around the world. We invest in efforts that increase financial inclusion, catalyze job opportunities for youth, and reimagine approaches to building economically vibrant communities. The Citi Foundation's "More than Philanthropy" approach leverages the enormous expertise of Citi and its people to fulfill our mission and drive thought leadership and innovation. For more information, visit www.citifoundation.com. 

About ADASEC Dominicana:  

ADASEC Dominicana is a non-profit institution, founded in 1984 with more than 37 years of continuous service in favor of the society of this country, focused on the comprehensive development of people through access to knowledge in areas such as ecological awareness, entrepreneurship, emotional intelligence, among others.