My name is Sydney Chean. I am 17 years old and live in Garden City, NewYork.
What motivated me to start this charity?
Since my great grandfather moved to the Dominican Republic in the 1950's and my dad and his family grew up there, I've always had a special connection to this tropical country. I have grown to love it and it is my favorite place to go on vacation. The food, the weather, the music... what's not to love? Although, I soon realized that while I am having the time of my life, there are people there who are not as fortunate. My dad and I did some research and with help from his best friend, Manuel, we found El Valle. We saw that this school helps Haitian-Dominican kids in the DR with education so they have a real chance at a future, and this is why I started HelpHDR.org.

