AllNationsInternational Blog

Clean Water

Volunteer Service in the DR

I do not think there is anything more important than clean water. It is fundamentally the single most important thing that can be done for a people. I was talking to a couple of doctors the other day about this who were treating many of the poor of Puerto Plata. More than half the children and mothers suffer from a water related problem. Diarrea, dissentary, stomach problems from contaminated food were just a few of the things that are directly associated with lack of clean water. What good does it do to give a child a mild pesticide to rid him of parasites in his gut when he we reintroduce them again by drinking bad water? Water born diseases lead to more severe problems such as disentary, malaria, typhus, and other water born diseases that are highly contagious.

The first responsibility for clean water points to the government. But most solutions are capital intensive and the government often does not have the more for expensive filtration plants. NGOs have worked for years on the island drilling wells and introducing sand filtration systems. The trouble is that many of the aquafirs are polluted. So no mater how deep you drill you still are on an island where pollution potential is great.

Private companies filtrate water and the poor are often not able to afford it. But this is the most immediate and quick solution. Yet programs like this must have long term and sustained solutions.

I have been thinking about the water problem because it is associated with the milk program. Powdered milk is often mixed with contaminated water. It either has to be boiled or clean water somehow has to be mixed with the powder. Buying liquid pasteurized milk is more expensive but it might be a better health solution.

Father Dale

Amnesty International Report

Deportations are so arbitrary that even Dominican nationals have been expelled from their own country because they “look like Haitians”.

On 4 January 2006, Matilde, an 8-year-old girl, was seized by officials in the streets of Santo Domingo. She was slapped across the face twice, hard enough to make her mouth bleed. She was then taken to a detention centre for irregular migrants, without being allowed to contact her parents, and held overnight. She was only saved from being expelled to neighbouring Haiti when a local human rights organization proved she was a Dominican national. Officials had assumed she was Haitian and in the country without legal permission because she was black.

Amnesty International’s report also revealed that racial discrimination prevents Dominicans of Haitian descent from obtaining birth certificates. Without a birth certificate, Dominicans of Haitian descent are unable to study beyond primary level or claim an identity card when they become 18, barring them from the formal job market and from voting.

Eduardo was born in the Dominican Republic. He is 42 years old but doesn’t have a birth certificate or any form of identification because his parents are Haitians. His four children also lack any form of identification, despite having been born in the Dominican Republic. For Eduardo to even apply for a birth certificate he would have to pay a fee of US$ 147 – more than a month of the family’s income – but even then the government could refuse to give him one.

“The Dominican Republic must take action to protect the rights of Haitian migrants and their Dominican children. It is their legal responsibility to do so,” said Gerardo Ducos.

Amnesty International called on the Dominican authorities to end arbitrary expulsions of Haitian migrants and discriminatory policies that prevent Dominicans of Haitian descent from obtaining Dominican nationality.

Children and Women Used as Bait

Volunteer Service in the DR

Over the last year we have had to go to the police station to get children in our feeding program out of jail. Periodically they round up street kids as young as 5 years old and put them in a holding room without water or food for an entire day. I ask the police why they do this to the children. They tell me that the tourists complain that the kids are harrassing them. I have never heard a tourist complain yet. I have wondered what other motives there might be for this blatantly illegal act by the police. Today I read a report by the International Women’s Rights Watch that an 85 year old woman was jailed in Barahona and used as bait to attract her family members so the police could deport them to Haiti. Of course what happens is that the family payoff the police not to deport them and that is the end of it. The report goes on to says how it is a common practice to use innocent children as bait. This is sheer laziness and outright criminality on the part of police in regard to international law. Lately the police have been good about feeding and hydrating the children. They have taken them to one of our feeding centers, or at least let them out so they can get fed. The more we live here and work among the poor and homeless, the more we understand the difficulties the poor face on a daily basis. It makes us want to do even more.

Father Dale

Volunteer Eyes

Volunteer Service in the DR

Each week as we orient volunteers to projects in the barrios of Puerto Plata it is always interesting to see their photos. It helps us see this world we see every week in new and wonderful ways. Angela Brawn provided this photo above while we visited the barrio of San Marcos the other day. Angela taught school in Canada for 35 years and still has a deep passion for children and teaching. The way she see the detail of children interacting with their environment is full of compassion and joy as seen in the photo.

Father Dale

Haitian Children Face Malnourishment

In Haiti, children are now being airlifted from rural villages to stave off death by starvation. Last month, international aid workers and doctors airlifted forty-six starving children in the southeastern Haitian village of Baie d’Orange after twenty-six had died from severe malnutrition.

Hillary Clarck of the World Food Program: “But what’s happened recently was a double-shock of the high food prices, which you remember, where the price of rice, which is the staple here, doubled in a year. And on top of that came the hurricanes, which did considerable damage to the crops of these farmers, many of them whom are subsistence farmers and rely on mangoes, avocados, cassava, to feed themselves. And so, losing those crops has put them into a very, very difficult position.”

UN: Rising Food Prices Pushing More into Hunger

The United Nations is warning rising food prices are pushing more people into hunger worldwide. A new report from the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization says another 40 million people became “food insecure” this year, bringing the total to just under one billion. On Tuesday, UN Food chief Jacques Diouf said his agency’s appeal for $30 billion in emergency food aid pales before other spending priorities.

UN Food chief Jacques Diouf: “So $30 billion is nothing compared to the subsidies and support to agriculture in OECD countries. It is nothing compared to the arms. But it is nothing compared to the billions of dollars that are being spent in all developed countries to face the financial crisis. Therefore, the question is, what is the priority? Is it 923 million people who do not have the most basic of the human rights, the right to exist, which requires that they eat. We eat three times a day.”

Diouf went on to urge President-elect Obama to convene a global food summit aimed at surpassing current hunger reduction goals.

Diouf: “And that is the reason why, in my message of congratulation to President Barack Obama, I suggested that he takes a lead in the convening of a summit to eradicate hunger from the face of the earth. I think even the objective of cutting by half the number of hungry people by the year 2015 is morally unacceptable. It is morally unacceptable.”

Floods in Puerto Plata

Volunteer Service in the DR

Yesterday we purchased and distributed mattresses to 20 families. This will lterally save lives. The recent rains have left four dead and about 600 people temporarily homeless. I inspected dozens of homes in Agua Negra and water was over the beds. Disease will show up in about two weeks according to the doctor I was speaking to. The mattresses not only got wet but they were soaked in sewage. In some places, human feces were on the ground about 6 inches thick. You can imagine what will happen when children will lay on these beds. They will get sick from water born illnesses. I am sure we saw at least one case of Dengue Fever. Mosquites are breeding like crazy and spreading disease.

What I notice about all of this is that it is the poor who are most affected and least able to do anything. The little we did yesterday was a symbol to the community. Even those people we did not help directly they came up and thanked us for being there and caring.

Father Dale

Blanket Project with Groton School

Last month, a group of kids from Groton School in Massachusetts turned thousands of yards of donated fleece into baby blankets to give to new and expecting mothers in the Dominican Republic. We delivered the blankets last week and the mothers were thrilled! One mother told us she felt very special that kids in the United States cared enough to make something for her baby. Thank you, again, to all the great folks at Groton for executing such a valuable project! Thanks to Tara and Patagonia for the great fleece!

Complex Problems

Volunteer Service in the DR

Today we are taking schools supplies to Congrejo. We are taking a small group of Canadians to the schools today so they can donate directly and see the situation in the schools here. It is also an opportunity to think carefully how to serve the poor in this country. These are not always easy things to do. The least effective is to just give stuff. It tempts people to be dependent. It is better to develop programs that allow people to have dignity and self respect. On the other hand when kids do not have pencils and teachers do not even have chalk, the very least we can do is provide these things to get started. Yesterday I spoke to one of the people at Elliot Foundation. They are doing parent literacy programs. I believe this is part of a comprehensive way to takle the systemic and fundamental problems with education and the families in the DR. Also as past of the equation, the government has to step up and be more involved. Ultimately, a network of NGOs like ourselves, the government, and business communites have to work together to provide real solutions.

Father Dale

The Price of Sugar

On the island of the Dominican Republic, tourists flock to pristine beaches unaware that a few miles away thousands of dispossessed Haitians have toiled under armed-guard on plantations harvesting sugarcane, most of which ends up in U.S. kitchens. They work grueling hours and frequently lack decent housing, clean water, electricity, education or healthcare. “The Price of Sugar” follows Father Christopher Hartley, a charismatic Spanish priest, as he organizes some of this hemisphere’s poorest people, challenging powerful interests profiting from their work. This film raises key questions about where the products we consume originate and at what human cost they are produced.

The Price of Sugar

Aaron Jackson on CNN

He’s doing great work in Haiti. He’s our inspiration.

All Nations International

Are there Answers?

Volunteer Service in the DR

Street kids do not get much fat in their diet. The other day they got a treat of chicken and fries. They loved it. A couple of men from Washington D.C. toured areas of poverty in Puerto Plata yesterday and we talked about the many problems here, especially the Haitian/Dominican issue. In some ways Americans relate to this through our exposure to the Mexican American border issues. What is our obligation to our brother and sister, irregardless of nationality, skin color, and station in life. We have all these artificial divisions based on nationality, social class, and political borders and we use them as reasons to not help or serve our brother and sister in need. We see this all the time in the news were people say that Mexicans should not have access to medical services in US hospitals even if it is an emergency. I read about people in the DR who complain that Haitians access Dominican medical services.

I know these are large and complicated problems that require broad strategic answers. On the most funadamental level we must address these issues because there are answers to them. For example, in Africa where the biggest medical problem is HIV there are enormous disparities is the rate of disease. 28% of the people in South Africa are infected but in Senegal less than 1%. There are pockets of hope where prevention is actually working.

The HIV rates vary greatly in Africa, and so must the sexual patterns too! There are 20 fold higher HIV rate in Zambia compared to Senegal!
The male culture in highly affected areas of Southern Africa is that of many small houses, i.e simultaneous sexual relations with several young women. Many men in the DR are used to having as many sex partners as their economy could allow. That must and will stop, because now people are now dying!
In the Dominican Republic and even Haiti. Hunger, disease, poverty can all be eradicated on this island. There are case studies all around us offering solutions.

Father Dale

Invisible Lives

Volunteer Service in the DR

When tourists come to Puerto Plata they see a signature mountain called Torre do Isalbella. It is a volcanic peak with a botanical park on top and a cable cars leading to it, a popular tourist attraction. What the tourists do not realize is that in the other side of the mountain, out of the view of the wealthy and the blessed, is a shantytown of San Marcos. Thousands of children cling to life in these communities where buildings are created out of second hand materials from garbage dumps and construction sites. Each rain storm and frequent wind damage their structures out of site of camera crews and attention of news organizations. They are the poor and as such do not count in the equations of dignity and honor. Yet, a noble few, volunteers from North America find their way to this community to lend a hand. Johanne and Benie fed more than 60 people, provided supplies to an ad hoc school ignored by the governement but run by an heroic Haitian lady, and invested their time and energy into the lives of these people who only want someone to tell them they are not invisible.

Father Dale

Teachers Teaching Teachers

Volunteer Service in the DR

Lately we have had lot of teachers come and investigate, observe, and study the educational situation in the DR. They are often shocked that children only go to school 4 hours a day and half of that time is recess and other activities. Actual in seat time is about two hours per day per child. A Haitian teacher yesterday pointed out that in Haiti they go to school 8 hours a day. It shows in the children from Haiti that we interview. They are better readers and have more awareness of the owrld than Dominican children. Now this comparison does not include privilaged Dominican children who go to private schools. This is a comparison of poor children to poor children.

A teachers workshop was conducted yesterday. Canadian teachers with the help of translators taught Dominican teachers education methods that are used in North America. This is something that can have long range effects. Many DOminican public school teachers do not have university educations. They are often appointed to their job because they are relatives or friends of friends. They want to be better teachers but often do not know how. If we had more teachers returning to do these workshops I think it could have enormous impact. It is no better books, better lesson plans, or even better conditions in the schools that will make a difference. Every major study in education I have read says it it the passion of the teacher that makes the difference.

Father Dale

Real Heroes

Volunteer Service in the DR

Sometimes the very people you help will try to steal from you, rob you, threaten you life, or even try to kill you. This weekend I was talking to a man who is a real hero in my eyes. Of course he would be the last one to say so. He lives among the poor. He quietly serves the poor. Hundreds of people in his village have received assistance from him in one way or another. The other day a teenager in the village threatened his life…threatened him with a gun. My hero friend was deeply troubled and full of pain and tears. These are moments when one must ask why they are doing this work. If it is for praise, recognition, or anything else that is ego driven, the person will not last. Serving other human beings requires accessing a deeper consciousness that is beyond the ego. It has to be a calling which means we have heard an inner voice not of this world that speaks to us in times like this when we experience fear. My friend will have to suffer through this time and seek the deeper reasons and listen to the still small voice. We can point to Gandi, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King Jr. and see that it was not easy to do the right thing and follow one’s calling. The people I admire even more are people like my friend who will never get the hero’s praise on the scale of famous people. My friend is a man of courage and knows true suffering. Please pray for him.

Father Dale

Homeless?

Volunteer Service in the DR

This a a barrio I was in yesterday. Kids here have homes. Yes they are nothing but scrap metal tin and a few broken boards. But the kids who are homeless do not even have this. Yesterday at the feeding center we did not have many kids show up. The police made a sweep of the area because the kids were bothering the tourists according to the police. So the kids sit a jail for a day. A few of the kids went to the new market and one boy was telling me that his mother needs medicine. If he does not sell boiled eggs the mother does not get her medicine. From what I could determine the mother has diabetes. I went to see her and I asked her if she has an identity card. It was a fake identity card probably sold to her by some human trafficker. She is an illegal alien from Haiti so she has no access to clinics here but she can go to the farmacia. Marta had a good idea the other day. She suggested we make identity cards for the kids showing that they belong to our organization and are beneficiaries. It is not a legal document but the police and school officials have respected it in the past when I have shown them pictures from our database and have turned the kids back to us.

Father Dale