Exploring Experiences of Community Leaders In the Dominican Republic through Photovoice

Background and Purpose:

Community leaders are essential partners in global social work practice. As lay health service providers, advocates for social change, or as trusted figures who help community members access resources, problem solve, link to care, and overcome health challenges, they serve as trusted connectors between communities and the systems meant to serve them.

In the Dominican Republic, where nearly a quarter of the population lives below the poverty line and climate change is expected to intensify existing health concerns, nongovernmental organizations and government, and research stakeholders alike often turn to community leaders as a critical entry point for community engagement, using structures like the Juntas de Vecinos (neighborhood associations) and others to link to community needs, garner trust, and help implement projects. Despite their central role in community wellbeing, there is little research on the experiences of community leaders in the Dominican Republic.

To address this gap, this study seeks to explore the lived experiences of community leaders in rural Dominican Republic through photovoice.

Methods:

Photovoice is a participatory action research method in which participants use photography to document their lived experiences, generate critical dialogue, and pursue social action. This photovoice project was conducted in partnership with Misión Esperanza, a Dominican-based, women-led nonprofit serving rural communities in the municipality of Luperón, Puerto Plata. Community leaders (n = 6) in this region participated across three meetings, collectively constructing and responding to the research question: "What is it like to be a community leader, including the advantages and disadvantages?" Thematic analysis was used to generate initial findings. Participants built consensus on final themes and guided plans for action.

Results

Thematic analysis of participant photographs and group discussions produced seven themes related to experiences of community leaders: (1) an internal sense of responsibility to act in service of their communities; (2) personal sacrifice, hard work, and the human experience; (3) impact on one's emotional health, such as anxiety, depression, stress, and loneliness; (4) perseverance through challenges, guided by values; (5) positive and grateful perspectives as coping strategy; (6) the power of collaboration, experienced as energizing when present and deeply painful when absent; and (7) the fulfillment of achieving goals, described as happiness, pride, and a sense that the sacrifices were worth it. Dissemination was shaped by participants themselves: participants requested a written report they could use to share findings with stakeholders through individual conversations and small group settings.

Conclusion and Implications

Alongside profound strength, dedication, and fulfilment, findings reveal risks to leaders' own wellbeing - an alarm call for social workers that know the risks of leaving such concerns unaddressed. These findings have since informed the development of the Care & Capacity Program, a practice initiative offering mental health support, peer mentorship, and financial stipends to community leaders, providing one model for how organizations can begin to respond. As global social work researchers and practitioners, we must recognize the critical contributions of community leaders, actively promote their wellbeing, and invest in their role as meaningful partners in equity-centered research and practice.