Mi lindo pueblo

What is a Batey?

A Batey is a very poor community of migrant workers and their families who harvest sugarcane in the Dominican Republic. Bateys are modern day settlements of barracks where migrant workers were once housed during cane harvests. Because it is cheaper for corporations that control sugar production to employ undocumented (“illegal”) workers, most of the workers originally came from Haiti. Conditions in Haiti are so difficult that many of these workers and their families are forced to endure life in the Bateyes, and still struggle for basic human rights like health care, water, food, and education.

Around 400 Batey communities exist throughout the Dominican Republic, and are some of the most destitute, poverty-stricken parts of the country where its mostly Dominico-Haitian residents live without access to basic services, such as clean water, sanitation, and public education (Amnesty, 2007).

Who lives in Bateyes?

People live in the Bateyes because they have no other options for work and survival. The great majority of Batey inhabitants are second generation Haitians or Haitian-Dominicans born in the Dominican Republic, but they are frequently denied documentation (papers) and therefore lack legal rights, health care, and education opportunities. Women, children and the elderly are especially vulnerable due to the lack of work and options for survival. Many people in Batey 8 live on less than $47 a month. Most of the population speaks Creole (80%) and Spanish (85%).

How about Batey 8?

Batey 8 has a community center, 5 stores, 3 churches, and several humanitarian organizations who do work there. The community 0f 2,000 cannot afford full-time primary or secondary education for its many (45%) children. There is also a health clinic nearby, and lots of small homes surrounded by sugarcane fields. The families in the community are excited to partner with GP for the third time and work together on many helpful projects, like building an after-school center for children, raising goats with a women’s group, and raising awareness around health issues. People in Batey 8 struggle very hard to survive and prosper in very challenging conditions. Racism continues to be a huge problem throughout the DR, and many Dominicans of Haitian ancestry suffer discrimination. Despite challenges, the community remains vibrant and filled with hope for the future.

A Website about Batey 8 designed by a Peace Corps volunteer:
http://www.batey8.com

Partner Agencies In the D.R.

Instituto Dominicano de Desarrollo Integral: IDDI is our primary partner in the Dominican Republic, and will facilitate our connection with community members in rural villages, and in conjunction with the community, determine the primary volunteer project to engage in.

http://www.iddi.org/English/What/what.html

Amnesty International. (2007). Dominican Republic: A life in transit- The plight of Haitian migrants and Dominicans of Haitian descent. London, UK.

Gavigan, P. (1996). Beyond the bateyes. National Coalition for Haitian Refugees. Retrieved October 6, 2008 from http://www.nchr.org/reports/bateyes.pdf