The Dominican Republic has become the first Caribbean country to host a Make-A-Wish program, bringing the global wish-granting charity to Santo Domingo and opening a new chapter for seriously ill children across the region.
The organisation, founded in 1980, now operates in the Dominican Republic as its ninth Latin American chapter. Its local program will grant wishes to children and teenagers aged 3 to 17 who are facing critical illnesses — experiences designed to give families a lift during long and difficult medical treatment. Wishes can take many forms: meeting someone the child admires, taking a trip, taking part in a special activity, or receiving a long-hoped-for gift.
There are concrete targets, too. The Dominican branch wants to complete 20 wishes by the end of 2026 and close to 200 by its third year of operation. Children are identified through medical referrals, with the charity working alongside hospitals, doctors and volunteers to find those eligible.
Mario Pujols Ortiz, who chairs the local board of directors, has been clear that the program will only work if a broad network forms around it: healthcare professionals, businesses, volunteers and community members all have a role. Funding comes from donations and corporate partnerships rather than any central pot, and families or medical staff who want to get involved can reach the organisation through its official channels.
For travellers, the story has a couple of angles. A meaningful share of wishes worldwide involve travel — a first flight, a family resort stay, a theme park trip — so the arrival of Make-A-Wish in the Dominican Republic means more local children could experience the country's own tourism side, from Punta Cana's beaches to Santo Domingo's colonial old town. It also signals the country's growing connection to international charitable and wellness travel, an area where visitors increasingly look to give something back. And if you have ties to the island, the new chapter is actively recruiting volunteers and corporate supporters, which is a concrete way to help while visiting or living there.
