After a pilgrimage to Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Lian Fanjul de Azqueta felt the need to help children and families living in poverty. Starting out small in 1988, MIR has now become an exceptional organization that provides education, guidance, and love to the children of La Romana. With the support of numerous people and institutions, Fundación MIR has helped more than twenty thousand children and families through education and health care programs. We spoke with Lyanne Azqueta to discuss her involvement with MIR and their outlook for the future, and now have reached out to Lian Fanjul de Azqueta to learn more about the foundation from her personal point of view.
We would like you to tell us about your vision when you started working with the Foundation and whether you have been able to fulfill it.
Inspired by my vision for a better future for children and families combined with hard work, we have been able to continue growing and offering more educational programs and services to more people in need. Currently, Fundación MIR operates a Vocational – Technical Schools, Elementary School, Girls High School and Boys High Schools, as well as a dental clinic. We also collaborate with other institutions and organizations to better serve the students at Fundación MIR, including Florida International University on the Teacher Training and Student Mentoring Programs, and Rotary International leading the dental clinic effort. As a result of our efforts, many are living fulfilled self-sustaining lives and have hope for a better future.
Can you tell us about a child or teenager whose story has touched you in a special way?
Each child has a special and unforgettable story. Benny came to Fundación MIR when he was 6 years and today is a doctor specializing in internal medicine. There are also four children who were adopted by a Cuban-American couple and today those children are very successful.
The community of Casa de Campo know about the Fundación MIR Schools, we would like you to tell us about any other projects of the Fundacion that only a few know and that deserve recognition for their important contributions to the society.
Fundación MIR has continuously expanded to include new projects, and more than recognition we need their support. In our 25 years we have grown moderately, giving our children what they need for growth and development in a healthy, clean and educational environment.We are currently building a dental clinic, where we will provide dental care for the 1,500 children currently enrolled at our schools and will also support other children from other schools in La Romana. We also built a new baseball program for the children where they train four times a week, with amain goal ofdiscovering and developing new talents. Another project Fundación MIR currently offers is“educating professionals”, where scholarships are granted to the best students, fulfilling their dreams of attending university where they are trained as professionals in the areas of their expertise. Additionally, in a few days we will initiate a volunteer program in collaboration with a university in Spain, which will aim to support our teachers in Elementary School, and coordinate efforts to provide top quality education for our children.
What has been the most important achievement by Fundación MIR in the course of the more than the 25 years serving the community?
Fundación MIR has had many achievements in the past years, but the most important one has been the more than 5,000 students who have graduated, gone on to pursue a higher education and are now successful professionals. These graduates are providing a better life for their families and contributing to the Dominican community as well. They are the real success stories of Fundación MIR.
How important has the moral and financial support received from Casa de Campo community to Fundación MIR?
Thanks to the Casa de Campo community’s continued support and interest in our children’s welfare and development, our students have been able to achieve their goals, succeed, and fulfill their dreams of becoming successful adults. Fundación MIR is blessed by the community’s willingness to assist the children and families in what they need the most, education and welfare. Whether our friends at Casa de Campo attend events, donate to special projects, or visit the schools, their support is greatly appreciated.
What projects or initiatives does Fundación MIR want to launch in the future?
Fundación MIR is constantly working on new initiatives and projects to continue enriching our children’s growth and development. Every day we have new proposals to expand and improve the world around our children. There are many international associations, nonprofit institutions, and government agencies that are interested in the programs and services we provide to the children and families in La Romana. They seek to collaborate with us to develop new programs so that our children have a broad vision of the world around them. These programs include in science, technology, the arts, and sports among others.
What message would you like to give the Casa de Campo community which closely follows the work of the Fundación MIR?
We extend our most sincere gratitude to the members of Casa de Campo for helping MIR to maintain, grow and expand what we offer to the La Romana community. As a non-profit organization all of our programs and schools exist in large part because of donor generosity. We greatly appreciate whatever part in MIR they choose and encourage the members to contact us to arrange a tour of the schools, or simply to discuss our work over a cup of coffee.
The Fundación MIR
The Fundación MIR is a non-profit organization which works to provide education to the children of the greater La Romana area, who are most in need. They run 3 schools: the Politecnico Fundacion MIR (School for Girls), the Politecnico MIR Esperanza (School for Boys), and the MIR Elementary School.
For more information on the Fundación MIR and to make a donation, visit their website: mircharities.org
To make a donation contact the MIR office in Casa de Campo (809-523-8270) or in West Palm Beach (561-366-5095). Donations are tax deductible for US Citizens!
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