SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – The Batey Relief Alliance’s regional arm, BRA DOMINICANA, is hosting an evening presenting “The Humanitarian Work of BRA Dominicana” on Thursday, May 10 at 7 o’clock at the headquarters of the UNESCO.

The organization will share for the first time with the Dominican mainstream society details of its humanitarian effort, which it qualifies as intense and of quality on behalf of the country’s poorest and most vulnerable. Video projections, intimate photographs and speeches will be used to showcase some of the organization’s many health-oriented initiatives including HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malnutrition and Blindness prevention, Water/sanitation, Primary Care, Preventive Health Education and Training, among others.

Founded in 2000 and incorporated in the Dominican Republic in 2003, BRA Dominicana has quickly made a name for itself as “one of the fastest growing and most competitive local NGOs.” The organization’s mission is to help create a productive and self-sufficient environment for the country’s children and their families who have very limited access to basic health care and medicines in rural/urban areas, the bateyes, and frontier localities.

From 2000 to 2006, BRA Dominicana raised more than $15 million in donated funds and in-kind support to implement more than 10 health related projects servicing an annual population of 17,000 in the province of Monte Plata. Another 70,000 people are served indirectly by BRA Dominicana through the distribution of donated medicines, medical supplies and equipment to various local partner non-governmental and governmental organizations raising their capacity to serve other impoverished regions of the country. All patients receive free eyeglasses, medicines, food, nutrients, vitamins and services in general medicine, ophthalmology, dentistry, childcare, gynecology, laboratory, and preventive health education.

In 2003, BRA Dominicana installed the bateyes’ first fully equipped and staffed medical clinic in Monte Plata. Two years later, the organization built the bateyes’ first modern medical center complex equipped with 14 medical wards, an ambulance, and an HIV/AIDS Unit facilitating antiretroviral therapy, treatment for opportunistic infections, and psychosocial and economic support for People Living with HIV/AIDS. Other projects include the Prevention of Malnutrition—through Multivitamin and Alimentation programs implemented in collaboration with the Vitamin Angel Alliance, USAID, the Ministry of Health and several key local partner NGOs. The three-year Malnutrition Prevention program will distribute daily multivitamins and antiparasitic medicines to 55,000 children, and healthy food to 20,000 adults and children.

More than 200 guests have been invited to the event, including key local partners to BRA Dominicana (USAID, the Clinton Foundation, Canadian Fund, the Lions Clubs, the Rotary Clubs, PSI and ADEMI, Alianza Bateyes, among others), Embassy representatives, elected officials, government agency heads (COPRESIDA, DIGECITTS, Ministry of Health, State Sugar Council) and other personalities from the NGO and University communities.

The UNESCO-Dominican Republic is located on Street Gregorio Luperón #105, Santo Domingo, in the Colonial Zone. For more information, contact BRA Dominicana’s Chief Executive Officer, Ulrick Gaillard at (809) 540-4947, (809)-961-2948.