July 15, 2004

Dr. Leonel Fernández Reina
President of the Dominican Republic
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Distinguished Doctor Fernández,

It is with pleasure that we extend our congratulations to you and your political party for the success accomplished during the recent presidential elections.

We also take this opportunity to express to you our concern vis-à-vis the adverse socio-economic conditions experienced by the inhabitants of the bateyes, to whom we have been providing humanitarian assistance in their struggle for economic and social re-integration.

According to a 1999 State Sugar Council (CEA) — CEA?s Bateyes Sugar Mills survey, done by the Reform Commission of the Public Firm (CREP), the bateyes lodge 43,154 families with approximately 200,000 habitants, representing 2% of the Dominican Republic?s total population. 66 percent of mothers identified their nationality and that of their children as Dominican; 6 percent as Haitian; and 14 percent as Haitian-Dominican. Most of these families do not enjoy adequate living conditions needed for the development of a dignified human life. Food, clean water and sanitation facilities are scarce. Access to basic education is limited while that to health services and essential drugs is almost non-existent. Unemployment rate is at its highest.

It is because of the situation stated above that we hope the national agenda to be set by your new government, beginning on August 16 of this year, will include programs that target the improvement of these communities already living in extreme poverty.

The Batey Relief Alliance (BRA), through its sister organization, BRA Dominicana, and its 12 non-governmental Dominican-based member organizations continue to implement important projects in the provinces of Monte Plata, Santo Domingo, Barahona, San Pedro de Macoris, areas of the eastern and northern regions, and the border zones with Haiti. Since 1998, the BRA has invested close to RD $100 million in humanitarian health assistance and education for the development of various impoverished communities . BRA Dominicana has also established close and fruitful working relationships with the Ministry of Public Health (SESPAS), CEA, as well as a number of well-established international, health, academic and faith-based institutions.

BRA operates a 30-foot fully equipped mobile health clinic currently providing permanent medical attention with medicines and vitamins to the inhabitants of over 35 bateyes and rural communities in Sábana Grande de Boyá. We are completing the construction of a medical center at batey Cinco Casas (Municipal District of Don Juan) that will provide, starting 2005, sustainable health services and preventive health education to more than 30 bateyes and rural communities in Monte Plata.

BRA also implements programs that include the prevention of blindness, training of promoters in health crisis prevention techniques, and donations of medicines, vitamins, food and medical supplies to local member organizations and government partner agencies, raising their capacity to adequately serve their respective needy populations. Additionally, we provide emergency aid to victims of natural disasters, and organize annually several medical and eye care missions inside batey and other impoverished urban and rural communities bringing volunteer Haitian, Canadian, American and French health care specialists to work alongside local Dominican providers who are committed to the economic and social progress of the living poor. BRA also raises public awareness by hosting annual international conferences in the United States, providing a unique opportunity for government officials, scholars and students from the Dominican Republic and Haiti to exchange views on bilateral issues affecting their societies.

Our humanitarian effort has helped improve living conditions of families and save thousands of lives inside the Dominican Republic without regards to race, sex, creed, religion, national origin or political affiliations. But we can do much more ? together. This is why, Dr. Leonel Fernandez, we are urging you to keep the plight of the bateyes at the top of the list of priorities in your new administration?s agenda. We are ready and willing to continue to offer our support to the Dominican Republic for the solution of this human tragedy, just as we have done for the past seven years.

Please know that in BRA Dominicana, the Batey Relief Alliance and the member organizations, you are assured firm and sincere partners who are committed to work for the benefit of all of the inhabitants of the bateyes, rural and urban communities and border regions of the Dominican Republic.

Respectfully yours,

Lic. Nexcy D? León
President, BRA Dominicana

Ulrick Gaillard, J.D.
Executive Director, Batey Relief Alliance

Member and partner organizations to the Batey Relief Alliance

· Lic. Virtudes Berroa
Executive Director, BRA Dominicana

· Lic. Lorenzo Mota King
Executive Director, SSID (Servicio Social de Iglesias Dominicanas), Member

· Lic. Gerald Monfleury
Executive Director, Pastoral Haitiana Distrito Nacional, Member

· Lic. Zunilda Chevalier Nova
Executive Director, ASOMADE (Asociación de Mujeres en Acción y Desarrollo), Member

· Lic. Fermina Garcia
Executive Director, COSALUP (Colectivo de Salud Popular), Member

· Lic. Elizardo Puello
Executive Director, CASCO (Coordinadora de Animación Socio Cultural), Member

· Lic. Marcelino Santos
Executive Director, FUDERSA (Fundación de Desarrollo Rural y Salud), Member

· Dra. Maritza Jiménez Polanco
President, FUNTOSALUD (Fundación Todo Por la Salud), Member

· Lic. Neslie Julien
Executive Director, ALAS DE IGUALDAD, Member

· Lic. Rafael Carvajal
Executive Director, Pro-Caribe, Member

· Lic. Carolina Muñoz
Executive Director, FUNSODE (Fundación Solidaridad y Desarrollo), Member

· Lic. Miguel A. Puente Hernández
President, Club de Leones Santo Domingo Arroyo Hondo, Partner

· Johnny Wray
Administrator Director, Week of Compassion, US, Partner

· George Johnson
Executive Director, New Jersey Eyeglass Recycling Center, US, Partner

New York City, US ? The Batey Relief Alliance (BRA) is awarded $75,0000 by the Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) to renovate/build the bateyes? first medical center at Batey Cinco Casas in the region of Monte Plata, Dominican Republic. The Dominican?s State Sugar Council (CEA) ? a key partner to the BRA ? contributed another $40,000.

“Lions Clubs International Foundation is pleased to have this partnership with the New Jersey Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center, the Batey Relief Alliance, and the Lions of the Dominican Republic to renovate the medical center. This type of humanitarian effort will help many and also reflects the mission of Lions around the world ? We Serve,” said Kay K. Fukushima, Chairperson of LCIF. Victor Manuel Baez, Executive Director of the CEA added, ?The CEA, through the government of President Hipólito Mejia, is working closely with the BRA to help the people of the bateyes.?

The center is part of the BRA?s Humanitarian Health Care Delivery System in the bateyes, in addition to a mobile health clinic, an ambulance, medical missions, distribution of essential drugs and vitamins and placement of health care volunteers. ?The center?s overall cost will reach about $1/4 million in renovation, construction, equipment and start-up operation. BRA is campaigning to find the remaining funds to complete the project by 2005,? said Ulrick Gaillard, Executive Director of the BRA.

The center will be equipped to provide long-term primary care to at least 15,000 persons per year, including HIV/AIDS education/prevention/treatment. Attention will be given in the areas of general medicines, pediatrics, gynecology, dentistry and ophthalmology. The facility will also have space to conduct medical research; for a fully-equipped laboratory, a pharmacy, a warehouse to store medicines and supplies and a dormitory to house five long-term volunteer health providers or medical residents; and an ambulance donated by the Wallkill Rotary Club in New Jersey. ?Our ultimate goal is to provide the poor marginalized residents inside their batey communities for the first time freely access to complete health care,? said Dr. Raymond Thertulien, Medical Director of the BRA.

International partners such as the Catholic Medical Mission Board, Direct Relief International and Food for the Poor have already offered their support to BRA in medical supplies and equipment and medicines.

BRA has been involved with the LCIF securing $15,000 in 2002 to start a mobile health clinic project currently providing primary care at batey Cojobal; working with the New Jersey Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center to start a Blindness Prevention program. Support for this new funding came from prominent members of the LCIF foundation, including Dr. Carlos Justiniano and George Johnson. ?Batey Relief Alliance is an energetic organization that is saving lives in these poor communities, and I am glad we are involved with them in this work,? said George Johnson, Executive Director of the New Jersey Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center.

“The Lions Clubs International Foundation represents a strong example of commitment to social justice work, and provides the kind of leadership role that sets a clear path leading to the enhancement of lives around the world,” concluded Gaillard.

BRA urgently seeks the partnerships of university hospitals, health organizations, foundations, corporations and individuals to help complete this life-saving project. We accept contributions in funds, medical equipment and supplies and medicines. Please contact Ulrick Gaillard at bra@bateyrelief.org or (917) 627-5026. Fore more information about BRA, please visit us at www.bateyrelief.org.

The Batey Relief Alliance (BRA Dominicana) now opens its 2005 calendar year of activities offering partnership opportunities to qualified volunteer mission groups wishing to travel to the Dominican Republic providing free and basic medical, eye or/and dental care to the poor and needy languishing in the bateyes, urban/rural slums or frontier areas with Haiti.

Groups (15 to 30 people) interested in a mission trip must contact BRA at least 3 months before the first day of the mission. You choose your own dates. The five to ten-day mission trip offers a unique opportunity to foreign health care providers, specialists and students around the world to work alongside local health professionals delivering culturally-oriented life saving care and health crisis prevention education/training to those living in extreme poverty under sub-basic conditions.

BRA?s experienced staff will help arrange the entire mission agenda for the group with basic lodging, meals and ground transportation ? set up secured clinic areas ? mobilize the recipient populations ? and secure medical practice and customs clearances inside the country.

Each group must bring its own medicines, medical supplies and portable equipment needed to provide care during the mission. BRA may contribute additional assistance in supplies if available.

Groups? participants will receive individual tax-exempt credit for covering their air travel, lodging, meals and ground transportation costs. BRA charges each group a registration deposit of $75 per participant to cover its own costs of logistics and administration in setting up the mission.

For more details about the BRA and its sponsored mission trips, please contact Ulrick Gaillard at bra@bateyrelief.org or (917) 627-5026. You may visit our website at www.bateyrelief.org.