who am i
Ninety six children in residential care spent five weeks this summer answering that question.
Taught by teachers who share their heritage and speak their language, at Fonicris in La Romana, Dominican Republic. This is the year that follows.
we spent our own money first, on purpose
Yinsa Foundation is the charitable arm of the Yinsa ecosystem. This summer, its sister company, Yinsa, Inc., funded an entire five week research immersion at FONICRIS before asking a single outside funder for a dollar. We wanted to find out whether the model worked, and what we were wrong about, before we made a case to anyone else.
the fonicris summer fellowship
Fonicris, Fundacion Ninos y Ninas de Cristo, is a residential care facility in La Romana, Dominican Republic. Most children arrive through the Dominican Children and Family Court. Our teachers, all bilingual NYC public school educators of Dominican heritage, spent five weeks asking them what they think, what they feel, and what they want to become.
i am here
What makes me who I am right now. The opening week, grounded in the present.
i feel
What do I feel, and why does it matter. Naming emotions and where they live in the body.
i believe
What do I stand for. Personal manifestos and the beginning of a voice.
i create
What do I make, and what does it say about me. Self portraits, emotion masks, a community mural.
i am
Who am I becoming, and what do I deserve. The closing week, and a community showcase of everything made along the way.
I don't know how to do anything. One of our students said that, repeatedly, in her first week. By week four, she was standing in front of the room explaining her self portrait.
Observed by a Cohort 1 teaching fellow, Fonicris Summer Fellowship 2026
what your gift buys
The entire five week program, flights to paintbrushes, cost roughly $260 per child. We are building toward funding a full year of learning and support for every child on the Fonicris roster.
help us reach the next child
A five week visit followed by silence is not enough for children who most need consistency. Your gift helps us move from a summer program to a year round presence at Fonicris.
