24 February, 2012
THIOTTE, Haiti. – Since 2010, the Batey Relief Alliance (BRA) committed to organizing women’s groups in the Southeast border regions and helping them to identify and address issues of concern to local, regional and national elected representatives. Through a three-year USAID-funded Development Grants—Women Empowerment project, BRA facilitates more than 800 women with skills training and microcredit in the communes of Anse-a-Pitres, Thiotte and Grand Gosier. Part of the project also includes creating a regional platform network for the women to meet, organize themselves and hold political actions around issues of health, domestic violence, women’s rights, food insecurity, education and poverty.
On February 8, after two-and-a-half years of intense education and training, more than 2,500 women gathered and summonsed Senator Joseph Lambert, a senior politician from the southeast department, to answer questions and engaged him in issue resolution sessions. Other politicians were also present to face these women whom, for many, was their first time holding a community action against their local politicians or meeting with the super politically influential senator.
After hearing the complaints and demands, the Senator expressed his desire to improve the quality of education and health in the region. He committed to equipping BRA with kits of school supplies that will be distributed to the women and their families – and hiring additional healthcare personal at the local clinics.
In the week following the meeting, the Senator delivered 1,020 kits of school supplies to BRA, to be delivered to students attending primary as well as secondary schools. The Senator also arranged to have a nurse hired for one of the clinics. BRA plans to organize another meeting with the Senator – and one for the women’s groups with Minister of Women’s Rights and the Protection. With these relationships, the women are hopeful to see their problems discussed, solutions found, and progress made.
