Building a Life Beyond Sugarcane in the Dominican Republic
This article from Americas Quarterly sheds light on efforts to empower Haitian migrant workers and their descendants in the Dominican Republic, breaking cycles of poverty and marginalization by transitioning from sugarcane labor to sustainable livelihoods. Programs focused on education, skills development, and community advocacy are paving the way for a brighter future for these vulnerable communities.
Heartland Alliance International (HAI) is at the forefront of these efforts, championing the rights and wellbeing of the most marginalized populations in the Dominican Republic, including people of Haitian descent, women, youth, Venezuelan migrants, and LGBTIQ+ individuals. Since 2010, HAI has implemented a rights-based approach to reduce statelessness, provide mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), legal services, and sexual and reproductive health care, and prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
By partnering with grassroots organizations and local government, HAI strengthens local capacity to respond to statelessness and human trafficking, ensuring comprehensive protection services for victims. Through its trauma-informed approach, HAI also trains psychologists and community psychosocial agents to provide critical support to Venezuelan migrants and victims of SGBV, creating lasting change in communities across the country.
