In its third-year funding, USAID completely financed BRA’s food distribution program in the Dominican Republic with annual grants of $288,075 of which, $173,100 goes toward food commodities and $114,975 for the receipt, rapid transportation, delivery, and distribution of the commodities to more than 10,000 vulnerable people each year, including people lving with HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis, pregnant women, the elderly and grandparents caring for orphaned/vulnerable children (OVC). Click BRA.IFRP 2009-2010 Photo Album to view image. “The International Food Relief Partnership (IFRP) is a USAID Food for Peace Title II Initiative to support the production, stockpiling, transportation, delivery, and distribution of shelf-stable, prepackaged foods by U.S. non-profit and Public International Organizations. And we are glad to partner with BRA to help the people of the Dominican Republic,” said Ben Vogler, IFRP’s Program Officer.

The USAID food distribution program complements two other important BRA programs in the DR: the Micronutrient/deworming providing food to 62,000 undernourished children taking multivitamins and antiparasitic medicines, and the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment providing food to those who are malnourished and undergoing ARV therapy or taking potent medicines to fight opportunistic infections. “Proper nutrition has shown to have not only positive physical and psychological results on our patients, but also tremendous economic impacts on their communities,” added Gaillard.

Aside from distributing food to residents living of Monte Plata, BRA expanded the program’s reach by donating food commodities to a dozen local partner non-governmental and government organizations addressing food insecurity for impoverished populations in other far-reached vulnerable communities in other provinces and border localities.

But Gaillard concluded that while the USAID’s Food Distribution is a crucial program that continues to address food needs and save lives of thousands in DR’s communities, but the program could have even greater impacts on thousands more living in economically-isolated border communities in the neighboring Republic of Haiti recently ravaged by the mega earthquake that killed more than 300,000 and left 1.5 million homeless, sick and hungry.

More than 25,000 attended the event and visited the BRA’s giant stand that displayed large posters and photographs of farmers, tractors and trucks engaging in the development of agriculture and community infrastructures inside seven agricultural batey rural communities.

The BRA-USDA agricultural initiative, in its first year, is exemplary as it created a cooperative with 7,000 new members to work closely with 700 farmers to work 1500 acres of fertile land to produce food security and economic self-sufficiency for 35,000 people.

Hundreds of brochures, pamphlets, and small gifts were distributed to visitors – and BRA’s personnel (agricultural specialists and health promoters) was also available to educate the public about the agricultural project and how it fits within the province’s New Millennium Plan to fight hunger and poverty by fortifying agriculture development inside impoverished communities.

Both studies have found that BRA’s health programs are meeting an unmet need for quality health services in DR’s vulnerable communities and have a very high level of satisfaction among beneficiaries. Some key findings have also found that BRA has greatly improved the population’s ability to obtain quality health services; 96% of patients are “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the services while 100% expressed plans to return for future medical needs; BRA has an absolute advantage in providing HIV Care and Treatment services in the region of Monte Plata; and BRA has a strong advantage in the provision of health promotion services through volunteer health promoters. Despite BRA’s relatively well-positioned and competitive work, however, 51% of patients recommended that BRA offers a greater variety of specialized medical services; has a greater flow of essential medicines; and builds a 24-hour/day in-patient clinic.

Since 1997, BRA delivers critical health services and essential medicines to more than 80,000 people each year living in impoverished communities including the bateyes, urban and rural slums and border localities. In 2005, BRA built and operated an integrated modern medical center inside batey Cinco Casas offering a variety of services, including primary health care, pediatrics, counseling, dental services, ophthalmology, gynecology, and specialized services for individuals living with HIV/AIDS. “In our continuing effort to improve the quality of our services and meet the community’s health needs, BRA sought to collect critical data and assess organizational and community needs in order to appropriately plan for long-term capacity building and growth,” said Ulrick Gaillard, BRA’s CEO.

BRA’s successful heath intervention is due to the available of free medicines to the poor donated by loyal partners such as Direct Relief International, Catholic Medical Mission Board, National Cancer Coalition, Vitamin Angel Alliance, etc.
Since January 2010, BRA expanded its health intervention into the border regions of Haiti operating a medical clinic in the commune of Anse-a-Pitres.

Dr. Thomas Peter Beague was born on April 27th, 1963 in Brooklyn, New York. He moved to Cambria Heights in 1969 and now resides in Old Westbury. His father, Thomas, is a retired electrical engineer born in Les Cayes, Haiti. His mother, Jeanne, is a retired beautician born in Martinique, West Indies. Dr. Beague has been happily married to his wife Sara since 1991, and has since had two lovely children, Thomas and Diana.

Dr. Beague is a graduate of Brooklyn Technical High School. He received a B.S. in Electrical Engineer from Polytechnic University in Brooklyn, an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY, and his Doctorate in Medical Dentistry from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

Currently, Dr. Beague is owner of a 16-year dental practice in Elmont. He enjoys the privilege of teaching at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, as well as devoting much of his time volunteering to help needy children and adults receive proper dental care around the world. He and his wife are founding members of the Batey Relief Alliance’s Board and have been involved in medical and dental missions with the organization since 1998. “I cannot think of a greater humanitarian and a more caring and dependable person other than my friend Tom to head the organization,” said Ulrick Gaillard, BRA’s founder/CEO.

The Batey Relief Alliance was founded in 1997 as a humanitarian aid organization to address the difficult socio-economic and health needs of children and their families severely affected by poverty, disease, and hunger in the Caribbean. Each year, BRA mobilizes millions of dollars to implement projects in agriculture, women’s empowerment and microcredit, nutrition, health and HIV/AIDS, and education. Annually, more than 100,000 people from the Dominican Republic and Haiti benefit from BRA’s humanitarian work.

BRA’s international assistance grant falls under the USDA’s Food for Progress Program and supports agricultural and rural development, while helping to address food shortages.

The project is being implemented by Batey Relief Alliance’s Dominican-based field organization BRA Dominicana, in partnerships with various key government entities, including the State Sugar Council, Dominican Agrarian Institute, Monte Plata Office of Senatorial Management and the Department of Agriculture.

“The two-year project has the capacity to create food security and economic self-sufficiency for 35,000 people living in extreme poverty inside seven batey communities in the province of Monte Plata,” said Ulrick Gaillard, BRA’s CEO. Gaillard also added that more than 700 farmers are now working 1,500 acres of fertile land and developing their community infrastructures for long-term agricultural and economic development and growth.

As part of other project benchmarks, BRA established an Agricultural Cooperative to teach 7,000 participating farmers/members how to manage and sell more profitable crops, create sustainable business plans, and apply for loans and credits and reach more consumers. “In light of the current global economic crisis affecting millions around the world, especially in poor countries, the USDA grant is timely as it responds directly to the dire economic conditions facing thousands languishing in these vulnerable agricultural batey regions,” concluded Gaillard.

USDA’s Food for Progress Program provides U.S. agricultural commodities to developing countries and emerging democracies committed to introducing and expanding free enterprise in the agricultural sector. Commodities are provided on a donation basis to foreign governments, private voluntary organizations, non-profit organizations, cooperatives or intergovernmental organizations. Projects are chosen based on their agricultural focus, the country’s needs, and organization’s management, experience and financial and technical capabilities.

Many of us still recall vividly the horrific images of children, women, men and the elderly trapped under the rubbles of the devastating earthquake of January 12, 2010 that killed more than 300,000; left more than 1 million homeless, hungry, and sick; and left the impoverished country completely in ruin.

We can also remember the sign of hope on the faces of the mothers holding their children tight telling them in the most caring way, “…things will get better.”

Indeed, we can make things better for the Haitian women and mothers who are standing tall today, against all odds, to challenge the greatest task they will ever face, providing food, medical care and shelter for their children in a country that is economically destroyed.

Honor the courageous Haitian mothers by supporting the Batey Relief Alliance’s new Women’s Empowerment Program designed to provide leadership training, micro-finance education, and micro-credit loans to 300 women to stat new businesses in order rebuild their lives and those of their children and families.

This is your unique opportunity to tell a Haitian mother “Happy Mother’s Day! I care.”

Please make a contribution online by clicking HERE. You may also mail in your tax-deductible check payable to Batey Relief Alliance, P.O. Box 300565, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11230.

Thank you for supporting BRA.

Sincerely,

Ulrick Gaillard, CEO

Launched in January 2010, the three-year program is designed to increase capacity of women’s community organizations to address issues of gender equity, skills training for durable employment and/or support for asset formation among women, and improve credit access to women to support economic growth of women-owned businesses. “The goal is to create an environment where women have the skills, assets and social capital to advance their own interests,” said Ulrick Gaillard, BRA’s CEO.

Thousands of women in Haiti’s Southeast Department struggle disproportionately with a combination of economic, health and domestic issues. These challenges translate into an environment where women lack the power to take actions to improve their own quality of life. “Taking into account its remote geographic location and the lack of available government resources, the solutions to the socio-economic challenges faced by women in Haiti’s border region will have to be generated within their own communities,” added Gaillard.

At the end of the program, it is expected that at least 30 women’s organizations formally established, 60 women trained as organizational leaders, 600 women trained through vocational skills development programs, 150 women trained as Community Health Promoters, 300 women eligible for credit, one district wide Network of Women’s Organizations established, improved financial stability for 600 women headed households (including 2400 indirect beneficiaries), reduced vulnerability to HIV among participating women, and 300 microloans distributed to women entrepreneurs through sustainable lending program.

The DGP grant also provides for technical assistance to BRA, through the Capable Partners Program, designed to increase the organization’s capacity to respond timely and effectively to the requirements and objectives of the program. BRA’s local program partners include microcredit-based FONKOZE, Partners In Health and Catholic Medical Mission Board.

BRA’s DGP program activities directly contribute to accomplishing goals established under USAID Haiti’s ‘Investing in People’, by directing technical assistance and resources to vulnerable women in the underserved border region of Haiti. “BRA’s activities invest in women and equip them to participate in community decision making, strengthen household incomes, and engage in preventive health maintenance,” concluded Gaillard.

The seven-day mission activities, co-sponsored by the Lions Club Arroyo Hondo Santo Domingo, will take place from April March 10th through the 18th inside impoverished sugarcane plantations communities of YAMASA, province of Monte Plata. “Hundreds are expected to travel far away and beyond the bateyes take advantage of this once-in-a-life-time opportunity to check and treat their vision,” said Nicole Ross, SVOSH-NECO President.

Ross also added that patients who need follow-up or specialized care will be referred to BRA’s medical center in Monte Plata where complete optometric and ophthalmological care is provided to thousands in each year.

The SVOSH-NECO team, a long-time partner to BRA, is fully-equipped and self-sufficient, and will travel with sophisticated equipment, thousands of dollars in medicines, eye drops, eyeglasses and supplies.

This program of health crisis promotion and prevention carries out educational activities that promote healthy habits among the Haitian population which, became victim of a powerful earthquake on January 12th that killed more than 300,000 people.

Residents of Anse-a-Pitres, Belle Anse and Jacmel receive orientation in topics such as hygiene, proper handling of water, sexual and reproductive health, and prevention of sexually-transmitted infections, accompanied by the distribution of free lubricant condoms “Panté”. The program also received the support of Academy for Educational Development (AED) with the donation of 900 hygiene kits and Americares which donated 2 million PuR tablets to purify water.

BRA is already developing several other projects in the region, including a Women’s Economic Empowerment funded by USAID, multivitamins and deworming, and health services. On January 11th 2010, BRA signed an important agreement with Haiti’s Ministry of Health handing over to the organization the full management and control of the Southeast’s only medical center located in the commune of Anse-Pitres.

The week-long intervention is designed for American and Haitian volunteers to travel to Haiti’s inaccessible communities to evaluate and treat general health and dental conditions of people who are completely isolated from medical services and international aid.

Since the 7.0-magnitude powerful earthquake hard hit Haiti on January 12th, killing more than 250,000, BRA responded swiftly by sponsoring medical mission trips and coordinating the donations of millions of dollars-worth of medicine and medical supplies. More missions are scheduled to deliver more urgent medical services and antibiotics, as well as eye care and prescription eye glasses to Haitians living in Haiti’s Southeast Department border region and those who have crossed the border into the Dominican Republic seeking emergency medical assistance. Click HERE to view images.

Please help the Batey Relief Alliance continue to help the people of Haiti. Donate alternatively by clicking HERE or mailing in your tax-deductible checks payable to Batey Relief Alliance, P.O. Box 300565, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11230.