Dominican Republic to Launch Women-Led Care Businesses by 2025

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – The Dominican Republic is poised to launch women-led caregiving businesses starting next year, following significant advancements in professional training and regulatory frameworks. Gloria Reyes, director of the Social Development Supérate program, announced the initiative, which has garnered international support.

Reyes made the announcement while leading the second Workshop-Luncheon for Trained Elderly Care Personnel. More than 300 caregivers, predominantly women, attended the event. They received identification cards to begin 200-hour paid internships at the National Council for the Elderly (CONAPE) Day Care Centers.

The official, who oversees the design and implementation of social protection policies, praised the dedication of those entering the caregiving field. She highlighted the critical role caregivers play in assisting vulnerable seniors and individuals with disabilities. Reyes noted this new sector offers thousands of Dominicans opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship.

Reyes emphasized the goal of establishing a 'personal assistant for people with disabilities' care model by 2026. "We need to provide services to our families with disabilities," Reyes stated, adding that President Luis Abinader is a strong advocate for this policy.

The Supérate director also underscored the project's potential for job creation. Trained caregivers can establish their own micro and small businesses to offer services to CONAPE, significantly boosting employment opportunities.

"From this group, companies can emerge where each of you can form your own agencies to provide this service," Reyes told attendees. She announced that a tender would be launched next year for companies to contract caregivers, urging the women present to lead these new micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). "No one will know more about caregiving than women," she added, calling on CONAPE to prioritize hiring them by March of next year.

Dio Astacio, mayor of Santo Domingo Este, thanked Reyes and her team for including his municipality in the pilot program for the National Care Strategy. He noted that most trained personnel reside in his district and pledged full institutional support for the project.

"I want to acknowledge and congratulate our distinguished director of Supérate, Gloria Reyes, for her work, dedication, and commitment to a social sector that was never previously considered," Mayor Astacio said. He praised the initiative for achieving two critical goals: protecting vulnerable individuals, such as the elderly and those with disabilities, and creating employment through the noble act of caring for others. He called it an "unprecedented initiative."

In mid-November, 100 caregivers signed commitment letters to begin supervised practical internships at CONAPE Day Care Centers. Sixty-three participants were from Santo Domingo Este and 37 from Azua. These graduates represent the fourth cohort of the 'Care Communities' pilot, an initiative designed to strengthen and elevate care work in the Dominican Republic.

As part of the commitment letter signings, the Supérate Social Development Directorate donated supplies and equipment to CONAPE's Home Care and Day Centers. This contribution aims to equip interns with essential tools for providing high-quality services.

The donated items included surgical masks, wet wipes, hand sanitizer, gauze, cotton, disposable adult diapers, gloves, sheets, infrared thermometers, and blood pressure monitors.

The workshop's primary goal was to formally welcome caregivers to CONAPE's Permanent Care Centers, marking their transition into intensive practical training. The session also reinforced key aspects of the institutional commitment letter, outlined future work environments, and stressed the importance of caregiving as a service-oriented profession rooted in respect for human dignity.

Attendees also reflected on the caregiver's role in assisting vulnerable populations. The National Care Strategy initially prioritizes individuals unable to afford care services, with the state guaranteeing the right to care. The workshop underscored the sensitivity, ethical commitment, and social responsibility inherent in this work.

The social protection institution spearheads the operational implementation of the National Care Strategy through a four-year pilot program, demonstrating tangible and scalable results. Key outcomes include training programs for elderly and early childhood care, an innovative personal assistant program for people with disabilities, and home care services. The home care component is nearing two years of implementation in the prioritized municipalities of Santo Domingo Este and Azua.

Looking ahead to 2025, the National Care Strategy plans a significant expansion. Services and initiatives will extend to Greater Santo Domingo and Azua province, strengthening the public care network and leveraging pilot program insights for national scaling.