About the Scalabrinian Association for the Service of Human Mobility (ASCALA)

The Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of St. Charles Borromeo Scalabrinians (MSCS), founded on October 25, 1895 in Italy by Saint John Baptist Scalabrini, has as its charism in the Church the missionary and evangelical service of accompanying people on the move. It is currently present on four continents and in 27 countries, where it carries out activities for the benefit of these populations, especially the most vulnerable.

Since 1991, it has been present in the Dominican Republic, initially working in the Pastoral of Human Mobility of the Diocese of San Pedro de Macorís. Later, in 2004, the Scalabrinian Association for the Service of Human Mobility (ASCALA) was established as a non-profit institution to provide more effective responses to the needs of migrants in situations of extreme vulnerability.

Its mission is the “promotion of integral human development and the defense of the rights of migrants and Dominicans in vulnerable situations.”

It coordinates and promotes actions across five strategic areas:

Legal Assistance

Seeks to contribute to the exercise and fulfillment of human rights, prioritizing labor rights, identity, and citizenship for immigrants and Dominicans.

Education

Through socio-educational, recreational, sports, and environmental activities, involving children, adolescents, and their families, aiming at comprehensive education.

Local Development

Supports food security and livelihoods through the formation of Savings and Loan Groups (GAAP), as well as seed funding for microenterprises, especially for women.

Social Services

Includes emergency assistance in extreme situations and comprehensive healthcare through preventive and curative activities.

Institutional Strengthening

Focused on continuous improvement of management capacity, empowerment, and strengthening internal capabilities.

At ASCALA, we have a team of 30 professionals and volunteers, including Scalabrinian sisters who serve on a permanent basis. The institution is located in a rural area in the eastern Dominican Republic, in the province of San Pedro de Macorís, where a large number of Haitian immigrants live in bateyes and depend mainly on income from the sugarcane harvest.

Due to the lack of Dominican documentation and irregular migration status, they are exposed to different forms of vulnerability and marginalization. Since 2019, ASCALA has expanded its mission to the province of Dajabón, on the border with Haiti.

Cross-Cutting Areas:

  • Defense and promotion of human rights
  • Integral human development
  • Social and environmental responsibility
  • Gender equity and women’s rights

Areas of Action:

  • Legal Assistance
  • Local Development
  • Education
  • Social Services
  • Institutional Strengthening