Today we saw rural poverty in a remote area of eastern DR. We visited Batey Juan Sanchez - a batey is the place where the workers and families of a former sugar plantation live. The land which previously grew sugarcane is all around but is unused except for a few grazing cattle and the people of the batey have no access to it. We went with MUDHA, the Movement of Dominico-Haitian Women, though when we reached the meeting hall there were more men than women. One of them explained that it is easier for the women to get work, mainly as maids for rich Dominicans, and so the men are left looking after the family.
These people of the batey told us how the work of MUDHA had benefited them, particularly in areas of HIV and STD prevention, general health, and helping with ID papers. They reported the changing attitudes in the community and exampled the fact that young people are willing to be recognised as spreading information about HIV. MUDHA also provides people with vouchers which they can redeem at clinics run by another NGO, Pro-Familias, thus ensuring that they get early diagnosis and treatment, not only for HIV but for various cancers and other conditions.
It was very heartening to hear the personal testimonies of people from the community, men, women and young people.
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