Origin of ADESJO
The dictatorship of Rafael Leónidas Trujillo had just ended and the Republic was enjoying its first airs of freedom, but the situation in the country was still precarious. In San José de Ocoa, a group of men and women met on July 12, 1962 and formed the Development Board, later known as the Association for the Development of San José de Ocoa, Inc. (ADESJO). Over the years, ADESJO continued to grow, but it wasn't until Fr. Louis Quinn, a Canadian missionary priest, came along that the organization really took shape. With Father Louis' help, it was proposed that the rural communities be given the power and capacity to improve their economic and social conditions. Since then, the institution has promoted full development through CONVITE - the traditional practice of people participating as volunteers in work activities carried out for a common objective, following the slogan "SELF HELP AND MUTUAL ASSISTANCE."
Our Purpose & Philosophy
We aim to promote the economic, social and cultural development of the entire community of Ocoa and to raise the quaility of life and well being of the entire province's population.
We are committed to supporting the men and women of the communities of Ocoa as they struggle to improve their quality of life. In particular, we aim to improve the conditions of the most impoverished members of Ocoa, focusing on their full development. The work of ADESJO is based on the indispensable participation of the people themselves so that they can be the social actors determining their own destiny.
We are sensitive to the motives and struggles carried out by the specific communities and we support them as they identify their own problems and needs. Furthermore, the benefitting communities are involved in the decision-making processes and carry out the work of various projects voluntarily, through the traditional practice of CONVITE.
San José de Ocoa
Our Mission & Vision
The model of full community development is what drives ADESJO and its community organizations to apply sustainable and innovative technologies and practices through the participation of the communities themselves. Focusing on both urban and rural areas, these practices contribute to the development of families, the promotion of a culture of democracy, and the improvement of quality of life.
ADESJO promotes the full and sustainable development of the province of San José de Ocoa and its surrounding areas through the participation of its inhabitants in community-run programs in the following fields: social, economical, educational, cultural, environmental and health.
