Documentary source: Theresa H. Christian, as credited in the YouTube description. Featured image: thumbnail from the documentary shared on Gabriel Christian’s YouTube channel.
A call for help can become a lasting commitment. Rebuild Dominica’s first-decade documentary brings together the voices, memories and practical efforts behind a collective built around service to Dominica.
Published on August 15, 2025, the 24-minute, 45-second film traces how volunteers connected urgent relief with longer-term support. Its YouTube description identifies Theresa H. Christian as the source.
Watch the full documentary on YouTube ↗
A response rooted in service
The opening account connects RDI’s founding to Dominica Cadet Corps veterans responding to Tropical Storm Erika in August 2015. It recalls Errol Emanuel’s appeal from Dominica and the response of Francis Richards, Gabriel J. Christian and the late Dr. Clayton Shillingford.
That beginning helps explain the organization’s emphasis on shared responsibility. People outside Dominica could contribute relationships, skills and resources, while people on the island helped identify needs. The work depended on those connections becoming practical action.
Relief, learning and livelihoods
The film’s first-decade overview describes medical supplies after Hurricane Maria, pandemic protective equipment, books for libraries, cadet equipment and uniforms, and scholarships at The Piney Woods School. It also highlights breadfruit initiatives and food-preservation training linking the University of Maryland Eastern Shore with Dominica State College.
These efforts connect immediate needs with opportunities that can endure. Emergency supplies support a response to crisis; books and scholarships support learning; agricultural cooperation brings attention to livelihoods and food security. Together, they show the different ways a volunteer collective can contribute.
The work in people’s own words
Later footage includes discussion of breadfruit’s economic potential, Hurricane Maria relief preparations, tributes to mentors and educators, and Bob Maguire’s account of composing Dominica, Land of Such Beauty, arranged by Jean Lawrence.
These personal accounts give the organization’s history a human dimension. They connect the work with the people who taught, organized, contributed and helped others find their own place in service.
Watch the moments that interest you
- 0:04: RDI’s origins and first-decade overview
- 5:35: Breadfruit and opportunities for farmers
- 7:01: Hurricane Maria and relief mobilization
- 14:23: Recognition of mentorship and service
- 18:03: A conversation with Bob Maguire
Help carry the story forward
The documentary acknowledges partner support and remembers founding members who have died. Its closing invitation is to continue the work through cooperative self-help, the spirit of Koudmen.
For prospective supporters, the film offers a place to begin: meet the people, understand the shared purpose and consider what you can contribute. Explore Our Work for dated reporting on RDI’s initiatives, support the collective’s work, or start a conversation about a partnership or your skills.
Find more recordings in the Video Gallery.