Batey Project a Success
The Dominican Republic is home to approximately 230 rural communities known as “bateyes” set up around state-run sugar mills, which once formed the economic backbone of this small Caribbean nation. The bateyes are socioeconomically isolated communities previously built by the government on sugar cane plantations to house cane cutters, mostly from neighboring Haiti. Today, both Haitians and their offspring and Dominicans live in the bateyes in extreme poverty with limited access to essential services, including clean drinking water—a fundamental human right.
The lack of access to clean drinking water sources in these communities has often forced families, especially children, to collect water from contaminated rivers or streams for daily consumption. According to parents and schoolteachers, students’ tardiness or absences in school are almost always caused by the time they must dedicate to collecting water for the family or by intestinal diseases contracted from consuming contaminated water. Additionally, the schools almost always use contaminated water from water trucks to clean the bathrooms and other areas.
Project Highlights:
Our implementing partner, Batey Relief Alliance (BRA), repaired the leaks in the community water reservoir. A concrete pad was placed all around the concrete tank to avoid sludge and contamination and was freshly painted.
A new submersible water pump was installed at the Los Guineos School since the previous one had stopped working. The new pump, with more horsepower, will ensure the durability and proper functioning of the school water system.
A pump was installed in the Los Guineos Abajo community that provides water for the entire community.BRA community health promoters held preventive health sessions in the safe handling of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) with the distribution of antiparasitic medicines to help fight water-borne disease.
The rehabilitation of the water systems was carried out by local construction contractors using the local labor force. BRA also created a local Water Committee which will be in charge of carrying out workshops on safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices and maintaining the water systems. Members of the Water Committee will be charged with monitoring the proper use, maintenance, and management of these systems. All activities will involve the community health workers, schoolteachers, parents, and other interested members of the community. All families will receive nutritious food products, vitamin A, multivitamins, and anti-worm medicines from BRA, which are needed to fight water-borne infections and improve their health and well-being.
Thank you to the Bank Street School for Children in New York for supporting this important work!
