Dominican Republic Legal Fund

In the communities where we serve in the Dominican Republic, many Haitian families endure challenging living conditions. Some families have been living in the Dominican Republic for many generations, while others are recent arrivals.

Many migrate to the DR in hopes of escaping violence, political unrest and destitution. However, due to their lack of proper documentation, they have very limited opportunities for employment and advancement. The government allows workers in the sugar cane fields to live in bateyes without requiring that they have legal immigration status. However, without alternative options, and often finding themselves indebted to the sugar cane corporations, they find themselves victims of modern day slavery, stuck in a cycle of poverty and hopelessness.

One of the ways we seek to empower families living in these bateyes is by facilitating and funding the legal documentation process. We partner with a lawyer who has been a long-time advocate of human rights in the DR. She is part of a network of law firms fighting for the rights of immigrants. Our partnership with her and her firm has allowed us to successfully get proper documentation for many families in our Child Development Program.

As part of our program, we aim to procure proper documentation for mothers. Once the mothers obtain legal status as immigrants, the process for their children becomes much easier. Proper documentation enables children to continue their education beyond primary school and to seek employment opportunities outside the sugar cane fields. In this way, we believe lives will be transformed.

Raised funds will be used for the following, along with other needs:

• Facilitating and funding the legal documentation process for Haitian families living in the bateyes of the Dominican Republic
• Partnering with a lawyer who has been a long-time advocate of human rights in the DR and is part of a network of law firms fighting for the rights of immigrants
• Successfully obtaining proper documentation for many families in the Child Development Program
• Focusing on procuring proper documentation for mothers to enable their children to continue their education beyond primary school and seek employment opportunities outside the sugar cane fields
• Transforming lives by breaking the cycle of poverty and hopelessness in which many Haitian families in the DR are trapped

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