Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a land of contrasts, where rich and poor live in close proximity to each other. But in the southwestern regions of this country, near the border of Haiti, poverty runs rampant. Much of the population of these areas is made up of Haitian refugees and their descendants, who cannot find work. In these bateyes (the shantytown remnants of sugarcane work camps from the 1960s) these Haitian families often live without electricity, running water, or roads, and have very little food, clothing, and medical care. Many also lack Dominican citizenship and are denied social services. The Dominican poor live in similar circumstances in numerous impoverished communities. They also often lack the resources required to access social services. Sadly, not much has been done about these issues, and they are left for nongovernmental organizations to address.