A student is appealing for the gift of language to assist a community in one of the poorest villages in the Caribbean.

Kristin Loving is asking the people of Bermuda to donate English language dictionaries to the Dominican Republic this summer.

The 20-year-old, from Pembroke, travelled to the village of Bahoruco last year to take part in an International Student Volunteers (ISV) programme, helping to build a workshop and teaching children English and mathematics.

Miss Loving was so inspired by the community, she now wants to return, to expand both the workshop and educational opportunities.

"I just fell in love with the village and the people, so I want to go back independently and do a bit more work," she said.

"I am looking forward to seeing all the children again and to see what else we can do to help the community."

Miss Loving aims to spend two to three weeks in Bahoruco this July, developing the workshop so villagers can create a cottage industry of jewellery production from larimar.

The semi-precious blue stone is unique to the Dominican Republic and can be sold to both locals and tourists.

She says the villagers are also eager to learn the English language, particularly the younger generation.

But one of the biggest challenges is the lack of dictionaries to help them learn everyday words.

"As money is very limited in the village, most people are unable to buy simple material things like books," said Miss Loving.

"For example, I remain in contact with one boy who is around my age. He works as a miner. I am not sure what his education is or how the education system works down there, but he is employed.

"I call his house phone once every few months to ask about him and the other kids. As there is such a restrictive language barrier, I basically need to read straight from my Spanish dictionary to understand him and to hold a semi-structured conversation.

"The last time we spoke I asked him why he has yet to get an English dictionary since he wants to learn more English. He replied 'money'.

"I forgot how simple things I may have scattered around my house are too expensive for the children and youth of this village.

"Most of them are eager to learn English, but cannot afford any books to help.

"They rely on volunteers and foreigners to teach them a word here and there, but most of them do not have any physical materials for themselves.

"Therefore, a main goal of mine is to be able to take as many English/Spanish dictionaries as possible to disperse throughout the village.

"I want to give the younger generation the opportunity to expand their knowledge into an area of personal interest to them not just a subject area that Europeans feel is necessary."

Miss Loving said: "This is not a subject we are encouraging them to learn, kids and adults constantly point and ask what certain things are in English, just as I would be eager to ask them what certain words are in Spanish."

This summer she will be joined on her mission by Bermudian Brittany Crawford. Miss Loving also hopes to make the project an annual event, recruiting more young Bermudians to assist in the community development.

"I am currently corresponding with the Peace Corps based in Bahoruco. They are arranging certain projects and getting plans organised which we will then lead," she said.

"I am just waiting to hear back to see what they have in mind.

"I really do hope to make this an annual trip that more young Bermudians can be a part of in the future.

"We are stepping up slowly. ISV helped to get me started last year, and hopefully next year we will have even more of us heading down to leave our mark somewhere outside of Bermuda."

Miss Loving is now appealing for donations for her and Miss Crawford's trip, and for dictionaries and writing notebooks.

"We have roughly enough money to cover our airfare but we will need more to be set aside for accommodation and any expenses required whilst there, such as food and transport.

"I have already been given $500 to go towards my mission trip, which forms the basis for my flight ticket.

"As I am not travelling with ISV this time, there is a much lower cost needed. My last trip was roughly $5,000 whereas this trip will cost approximately $3,000 per person.

"Further to requesting monetary donations, we would also like to head down there with a bag or so each of material donations for the community."

Miss Loving is currently studying for a 'Child and Youth Studies' degree in Applied Arts at Mount Saint Vincent University, Nova Scotia.

On graduating she wants to help develop youth rehabilitation programmes for juvenile offenders in Bermuda.

If you would like to help the Bahoruco mission, email: kristincloving@hotmail.com