About us

What is Village12?

Village12 is a sustainable project development organization based in the Dominican Republic.  By utilizing local and international volunteers, our highly-structured program is designed to initiate projects that cost-efficiently address identified developmental gaps.

Where did Village12 come from?

Our founder, Brian Newhouse, is a Georgia Tech graduate from Atlanta, Georgia.  After graduating, Brian worked in the Peace Corps and in the private and non-profit sectors.  Through his experiences in the developing world and elsewhere, he observed a common truth:

Communities around the world need the same 12 elements to thrive — water, food, sanitation, healthcare, family, shelter, education, transportation, environment, business, energy and technology.

Brian then created a unique 4-step approach to developing each of these elements in communities in need. Then in the summer of 2011, as he volunteered in Haiti, he was interested in finding a community to launch this program but then took a break in the Dominican Republic. At the vacation apartments he and some friends stayed at, he met Diane, the owner of SuncampDR.com who told him about a group of stateless Haitian sugarcane workers. He and Diane worked out an agreement to host volunteers at SuncampDR. With all of the pieces now together, Village12 is now in motion!

Meet the core team

Brian Newhouse, Operations Coordinator

Background: Mr Newhouse is a native of Atlanta, Georiga and a graduate of Georgia Tech with a BSBC degree. Following graduation, Mr Newhouse worked his way bicycling around New Zealand, while supporting himself with odd jobs; taught high school architectural drafting during a 2-year commitment with the US Peace Corps in Cape Verde; worked as a volunteer with All Hands Volunteers in Haiti, and built houses in Costa Rica with Habitat for Humanity. Since October 2011, he has been in the Dominican Republic developing projects for the Haitian community around Puerto Plata.

Contact: Brian.Newhouse @ village12.org