BATEY CINCO CASAS, Monte Plata. – Batey Relief Alliance / BRA Dominicana implemented the “Youth in Development” project, through which, it collaborated with the local Peace Corps to take actions to build the capacity of young people through sports, technical/employment kills training, and preventive health crisis education.

Five Peace Corps volunteers were involved in selecting the participants and finding with them the tools needed to address serious life’s issues affecting them daily, including HIV/AIDS, poverty, unemployment, education and stigma.

The two-year project took place inside bateyes Guasumita, Triple Ozama, El Cano, Antoncí and La Jagua, and had the objective to improve the quality of life for these young people, encouraging them not to give up and turn to life of violence and self-destruction, and raise their self-esteem.

So far, nineteen young men and women have graduated from the program.

Ninety five percent (95%) of all BRA’s staff working at its health and agricultural production installations in the province of Monte Plata lives or/and is born in a batey.