SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic—Batey Relief Alliance’s regional arm, the BRA DOMINICANA is now a partner with the Presbyterian Church-USA Hunger Program allocating funds to provide desperately needed food assistance to 1700 AIDS sufferers, vulnerable/orphaned children and women living inside the bateyes of the Dominican Republic.

The effort targets the impoverished province of Monte Plata where BRA implements most of its field projects, including a comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment program in partnership with the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative, USAID/Family Health International and the Dominican Ministry of Health’s Digecitts and COPRESIDA.

“Access to food and proper nutrients is critical for the survival of patients who are extremely sick and undergoing antiretroviral treatment with an empty stomach. One can not go without the other,” said Ulrick Gaillard, CEO of the BRA. Gaillard added that most patients are too poor to buy food, and taking the medicines without property nutrition can be fatal.

The BRA and PC-USA hope that providing proper nutrition to patients will help enhance their physical and mental strengths to work and produce for their families and communities. For more information about or to support the BRA’s HIV/AIDS/Nutrition program, visit our website at www.bateyrelief.org or contact us at bra@bateyrelief.org.