Joining hands across Haiti and the Dominican Republic

CWS brought together our partners on violence against children in Haiti and the Dominican Republic in late 2009 to strengthen the programs of both. The January 2010 earthquake further spurred this initiative: a series of exchange trips allowed for the mental and physical renewal of Haiti partner staff who traveled to the DR, and joint training and workshops in both countries. CWS continues to build this bi-national program that is challenging a long history of mutual intolerance and discrimination.

Assisting vulnerable Haitian youth in the Dominican Republic. In the wake of the earthquake, hundreds of Haitian children have made their way to the Dominican Republic, often without their families. CWS partner Caminante is helping remove them from high-risk situations and reunite them with their families. [Read More]

Our Regional Program in Brazil, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Uruguay

And in 2005, CWS and partners in Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Uruguay joined forces to defend the rights of the region’s most vulnerable children by strengthening local efforts to prevent child labor and sexual abuse, including commercial sexual exploitation, and assist sexual abuse survivors. Partners work directly with children and advocate for expansion of relevant public services. This program involves joint planning and program evaluation  and peer learning

• In Brazil: the program helps reinsert street children into their families, schools and communities by improving their self-esteem and working with schools and family members.

• In the Dominican Republic: the program prevents commercial sexual exploitation with health education, vocational training and cultural activities, while assisting survivors of sexual abuse and pregnant adolescents.

• In Nicaragua: the program prevents violence against youth who work in markets in Managua by training the children and involving community members in their protection, while assisting sexual abuse survivors with shelter, psychological attention, health care, and vocational training.

• In Uruguay: the program helps children who work in trash collection to raise their self-esteem and use of public services for them and their families, while organizing groups on health and environmental protection.

Want to skype with CWS LAC staff for more info on this program? Write to us at info@cwslac.org today.

Photos : Sean Hawkey