In an isolated area in the Dominican Republic, Progressio has been working with a local partner, Solidaridad Fronteriza, to support people like Ramona to find ways of adapting to the challenges of climate change, deforestation and drought. The cross-border project promotes food security and sustainable agriculture.
A food security training programme run by Progressio and its partner, ASCALA, is helping to raise incomes and improve diets in some of the Dominican Republic’s bateys, some of the most deprived communities in the country. Residents, such as Rafael Fleming, a 43-year old from Batey Las Pajas in the Eastern region, have learned how to use organic farming techniques to grow vegetables in family plots. The produce can be consumed by the household, adding variety to their diet, or sold to bring in extra cash.
During our “prioximo semana” (first week), Progressio introduced us to the programmes we would be participating in whilst in Honduras. Meeting Red COMAL our partner organisation, whom we are supporting, we got shown a video displaying the effects of climate change in Honduras and why the work we will be doing in Lempira, Western Honduras is so important.
The communities we are working with in the Gracias region rely on farming; almost every family owns a farm that acts as their main source of income. This means that everyone has to work on the farm from an early age and the livelihoods of the people in the communities are especially fragile, a bad harvest can have devastating consequences.
Karina Cuba, a Progressio food security specialist, reflects on how her work with women in a remote, rural community on the Dominican Republic’s border with Haiti not only helped families to eat more healthily, but also supported women to tackle isolation, discrimination and domestic violence.
To join together against climate change, I walked with thousands of people in the capital for the People’s Climate March. 40,000 people turned up to demand that our leaders take action on climate change and push for an outcome where the poorest people in the world are protected from and equipped to deal with it.
“Life can be good living here, but we have many struggles. We depend on farming, but we don’t always have good harvests, and our produce does not always sell well. The area is very remote and it is difficult to transport produce to the markets.”
On Monday 11 August, Max Donnell-Ford, 19, met with Martin Horwood MP to tell him about his experience as a Progressio International Citizen Service volunteer in Nicaragua.
Our Food for a better future project ended in December 2013. Thank you so much for your support – here’s Karina's final report on her work with the communities of Dajabón, Partido, Restauración, Loma de Cabrera, and Loma de Guano in the northern border of the Dominican Republic.
Our Food for a better future project ended in December 2013. Thank you so much for your support – here’s Bernardo's final report on his work with the communities of the Dajabón/Restauración area in the northern border of the Dominican Republic.
