September 5, 2005 at 9:30 PM

Today I spent two hours busking in my neighborhood to raise money for Haitians in the bateyes of the Dominican Republic. There's going to be a benefit concert in Philly on Sep. 10 which I'll make a post about in a minute, so I had a poster up advertising for the concert. And the money I raised is going there too. 10% will be given to the Katrina victims (because of the strange and horrible timing!) Here's a little bit about what's happening over there (and I'll put ticket info, etc in my post)

Haiti and the Dominican Republic (DR) combined have the most HIV cases in the entire Caribbean region, an estimated 85%. The "bateyes" (bah-TAYZ) are remote rural communities, housing migrant Haitian and Dominican laborers and their families in mud and split-cane shacks. There are no sewage systems, running water, or electrical systems in the bateyes. Disease is rampant, and healthcare is otherwise nonexistent. The batey population (200,000 who are mostly poor marginalized dark skinned Haitian migrant sugar cane families and Dominicans of Haitian origin) suffers disproportionately from HIV and AIDS, and the UNAIDS estimates that more than 5% of the people living in the bateyes are infected with the deadly virus.

With the help of the Bill Clinton Foundation’s HIV/AIDS Initiative and the USAID-funded Family Health International “Conecta” Project, BRA is currently developing a comprehensive HIV/AIDS program in the bateyes of the Monte Plata province, where there are an estimated 1,300 cases of diagnosed and undiagnosed. By targeting 40 of Monte Plata’s 60 bateyes, BRA will be able to reach two thirds of the communities with its education and community empowerment programs. Through these efforts, BRA seeks to reduce the instances of new HIV cases by 5% within the first five years of the project. By offering HIV testing and treatment to pregnant women, BRA seeks to significantly reduce vertical transmission of HIV.

“BRA’s health and HIV/AIDS program, when fully operational, will offer an example of quality, comprehensive HIV/AIDS treatment in the DR. It is our hope that other organizations will take after its example and initiate similar programs both inside the Dominican Republic and other Caribbean countries, including Haiti,” concluded Gaillard.

Last July's inaugural benefit concert, held at Calvary Presbyterian Church in Willow Grove, raised raised over $15,000 in response to devastating floods on the island of Hispaniola, which encompasses both Haiti and the Dominican Republic, killing over 3000 people, leaving countless more homeless, and creating widespread water-born disease.

"The Batey Relief Alliance's humanitarian mission is to help promote equity and self-sufficiency - improve human rights conditions - raise public awareness - and facilitate dialogues and bona fide collaborative endeavors gearing towards creating a productive environment for the Caribbean's most vulnerable people. We represent a broad spectrum of organizations interested in improving human conditions. We are apolitical and unite local grassroots organizations, international aid groups, universities, and government agencies in a strategic partnership," notes Gaillard.

http://www.bateyrelief.org/archives/000142.php <-- a link to the organization that's sponsoring the concert

From Wanda Jenkins
Posted on September 6, 2005 at 2:36 AM

I wish you lots of success!

Katrina happened, and Americans do need to respond in a big-hearted way, still we can't neglict those whose lives are filled with constant misery and little hope of relief.

We have a neighbor who has been involved in relief programs around the world for dozens of years who pleads with us to tend our neighbors while not forgetting the mass of humanity outside our borders who desparetly need our help.

Blessings

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September 5, 2005 at 9:30 PM

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