NEW YORK.- The Batey Relief Alliance (BRA) launched this month another year of food aid, distributing 75 metric tons of food in the Dominican Republic, with the financial and technical assistance of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

This program, under the USAID’s Food for Peace-International Food Relief Program, responds to the steps already taken by the Dominican government to address the current food crisis and reduce malnutrition among vulnerable people. It is estimated that 54 to 76 thousand children of five years—between 7.2 and 8.9% of the Dominican population, suffers from chronic malnutrition. 27% of the total population (more than 2 million of the 8.9 million) is undernourished.

Through this program, 4 million food rations will be distributed to more than 5,000 children and adults severely affected by poverty, disease and hunger in the bateyes, urban barrios and other impoverished rural and border communities.

The program, for which USAID donated $272,800 through the generous support of the American people, benefits those in critical needs, including people living with HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis, pregnant women, vulnerable/orphaned children, and the elderly. "It is a simple equation--you can not talk about providing quality health care to the poor without ensuring first that they also have food in their stomach," said Ulrick Gaillard, CEO of the Batey Relief Alliance.

Batey Relief Alliance’s field organization, BRA DOMINICANA, implements the project with governmental and non-governmental strategic partners, including the Dominican’s Presidential Council on HIV/AIDS (COPRESIDA), General Directive for the Control of Infections and Sexual Transmissions and AIDS (DIGECITTS) and Ministry of Health (SESPAS), Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative, Social Services of Dominican Churches, and others. Those partners, along with hundreds of community health promoters, will educate about health and proper nutrition and help distribute food in various provinces, including Santo Domingo, Monte Plata, Hato Mayor, Pedernales, La Romana, Monte Cristi, etc.

The food aid program complements two other important BRA’s projects: the Children’s Health Campaign distributing multivitamins and antiparasitic medicines to 55,000 children and the HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment of patients receiving potent medicines to fight opportunistic infections and antiretroviral therapy. "Food is a vital element that, when it is combined with good healthcare, can transform people and communities," added Gaillard.