Founded in 1997, Batey Relief Alliance, Inc.® is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has impacted the lives of more than 4.5 million individuals across the Americas and the Caribbean. Building on this established legacy, we have transitioned to Global Alivio to reflect our expanding commitment to addressing poverty, disease, and hunger on a global scale. This evolution allows us to apply our proven holistic model of sustainable health and HIV care, food security, and clean water to a wider horizon, with a primary focus on women’s economic empowerment and gender equality. By broadening our reach, we ensure that the most vulnerable families—regardless of geography—have the essential tools to build resilient, self-sufficient futures.
Global Alivio (operating as Batey Relief Alliance) is governed by a multi-tiered leadership structure designed for transparency, local accountability, and strategic growth:
U.S. Board of Directors: Provides primary fiduciary oversight and ensures global alignment with the organization’s mission and statutory requirements.
BRA Dominicana Board: In collaboration with the Executive Branch of BRA Dominicana, this body provides localized governance, overseeing the financial, legal, and administrative integrity of programs across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Executive Leadership: Led by the President and CEO, the executive team is responsible for the organization’s strategic scaling, global partnerships, and long-term institutional development.
Advisory Board: A multidisciplinary group of experts providing high-level counsel and diverse perspectives to support the Boards and CEO in navigating complex global challenges.
Established as a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization to create, initially, a structured, scalable response to systemic poverty and health inequities within the Dominican Republic’s sugarcane plantations rural “batey” communities.
The Batey Relief Alliance enters a landmark Cooperative Agreement with the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Health, establishing a formal framework for large-scale, coordinated health interventions within the bateyes and other vulnerable communities.
Batey Relief Alliance (BRA) convened the first international conference at the United Nations, “The Bateyes: A New Reality,” bringing localized humanitarian challenges to the center of global discourse. By uniting government officials, academics, and policymakers at the UN, BRA facilitated a high-level exchange on regional responses to poverty and human rights.
In a strategic imperative to ensure long-term sustainability, BRA established BRA Dominicana as a legally independent, local NGO. This expansion formalized our operational footprint in the Dominican Republic, allowing for deeper integration with national systems and the direct execution of our high-impact humanitarian programs.
Presidential Recognition at the National Palace: In a significant institutional milestone, Dominican President Hipólito Mejía hosted the BRA Board of Directors for a formal presentation of the organization’s strategic vision. Recognizing BRA’s comprehensive roadmap to address the systemic crises in the bateyes, the President issued a high-level endorsement, pledging his administration’s full support for our mission and its long-term objectives.
Initial of Clinical Infrastructure: BRA deployed a state-of-the-art 30-foot mobile health unit to Batey Altagracia, Monte Plata. This deployment marked a critical operational evolution, transitioning BRA from periodic medical missions to a permanent institutional presence. The mobile complex served as our foundational infrastructure, enabling the consistent delivery of comprehensive, on-site clinical and HIV care to historically underserved populations.
Establishment of Operational Headquarters: Formalized the organization’s administrative presence by opening a primary headquarters in Piantini, Santo Domingo. This strategic placement within the nation’s capital facilitated streamlined coordination with government agencies and international partners.
Columbia University International Summit: BRA spearheaded a landmark academic and policy forum at Columbia University entitled, “HIV/AIDS in Haiti and the Dominican Republic: A Bilateral Challenge.” This conference served as a strategic platform to catalyze international awareness and mobilize global resources for BRA’s pioneering HIV/AIDS interventions across the Hispaniola border.
Endorsement by President Bill Clinton: In a significant validation of the organization’s impact, former U.S. President Bill Clinton formally endorsed the mission of the Batey Relief Alliance. This commendation solidified BRA’s standing within the international humanitarian community as a trusted and effective implementer of high-stakes relief efforts. Recognizing the complexity of the region, President Clinton stated:
“Batey Relief Alliance is doing important and difficult work. They need our continued support.”
Inauguration of the Cinco Casas Health Complex: In a milestone of historic proportions, BRA established the first modern health complex in Batey Cinco Casas, Monte Plata. This facility represented the first permanent modern healthcare infrastructure of its kind since the inception of Dominican sugar production in 1517. By filling a 500-year void in institutional care, BRA effectively challenged centuries of systemic health inequality.
Advanced Clinical Infrastructure: To ensure comprehensive service delivery, the complex was engineered with a sophisticated operational suite, including:
15 Specialized Consulting Rooms for multi-disciplinary care.
Fully-Equipped Diagnostic Laboratory and a Central Medicine Dispensary.
Rapid-Response Capabilities, featuring a dedicated ambulance and an integrated mobile medical clinic to extend reach into remote satellite communities.
Decade of High-Impact Service Delivery: Over its first ten years of operation, the complex served as a primary anchor for regional stability, delivering comprehensive clinical care, HIV/AIDS treatment, and essential medicines to 350,000 vulnerable individuals.
Strategic Transition and Institutional Sustainability:
Forging the USAID Partnership: In 2007, BRA established a high-level strategic alliance with the USAID Title II Food for Peace International Food Relief Partnership (IFRP). This collaboration was designed to provide a critical nutritional foundation for BRA’s pioneering HIV/AIDS program, ensuring that patients receiving potent Antiretroviral (ARV) therapy had the fortified caloric support necessary for treatment adherence and clinical success.
A Masterclass in Large-Scale Logistics: Over 19 years of uninterrupted operation, the program evolved into a cornerstone of regional stability. BRA successfully managed the complex international supply chain and local distribution of over 2,600 metric tons of Breedlove fortified food products, transforming “relief” into a systematic public health intervention.
Unprecedented National Impact: By delivering life-saving nutrition to over 1.2 million individuals, BRA’s intervention directly reached approximately 11% of the Dominican Republic’s total population. This milestone stands as a powerful testament to the organization’s capacity to execute sovereign-scale initiatives that move the needle on national health statistics.
Between 2009 and 2011, the Batey Relief Alliance collaborated with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to implement a major “Food for Progress” agricultural production program in the Dominican Republic.
This partnership with the USDA was part of a larger 2009 initiative to strengthen agricultural and cooperative programs in the rural areas of the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
Historic Bilateral Accord with the Republic of Haiti: In a landmark diplomatic achievement, BRA entered into a formal Cooperative Agreement with Haiti’s Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP). This strategic accord authorized BRA to address systemic health inequalities not only within the sensitive border regions but throughout the Haitian territory. This milestone marked the formal launch of the BRA Haiti Project, establishing the organization as a critical transnational actor in Hispaniola’s public health landscape.
Senate Citation for Humanitarian Excellence: In recognition of its profound impact on the nation’s social fabric, the Senate of the Dominican Republic issued a formal Citation of Merit to the Batey Relief Alliance. This high-level legislative recognition honored the organization’s decade-long commitment to the country’s most vulnerable populations and validated its role as an essential partner in national development.
Since joining the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) in 2011, the Batey Relief Alliance (BRA)—recently rebranded as Global Alivio—has executed several multi-year “Commitments to Action” across the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Peru. These commitments focus on sustainable health, economic empowerment, and essential infrastructure.
Executed and Ongoing Commitments:
The recognition of the Batey Relief Alliance by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 2013 as “one of the best NGOs in developing countries” was a high-level validation of our organization’s efficient and impactful execution of large-scale international development programs.
This designation signaled that BRA was a “best-in-class” partner for U.S. federal agencies. For the USDA, a “best NGO” is typically one that demonstrates:
The recognition was the direct result of a successful multi-year evaluation of the USDA “Food for Progress” agricultural cooperative program in the Dominican Republic:
This 2013 recognition cemented BRA’s reputation, paving the way for our Special Consultative Status at the United Nations in 2014 and our continued partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative.
Continental Scaling into Peru: The Batey Relief Alliance expanded into Peru in 2014 to replicate its successful “batey model” of comprehensive community care in urban and rural Andean populations. Our work in Peru mirrors the organization’s holistic approach, focusing on the following key areas:
At the 2024 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting, BRA launched a new $300,000 Commitment to Action that directly includes Peru. This project aims to:
Through these efforts, BRA has successfully transitioned from a Caribbean-focused NGO to a regional leader, now impacting lives across Peru, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.
UN ECOSOC Consultative Status: In 2014, the Batey Relief Alliance achieved Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), a prestigious designation that formally integrated the NGO into the UN’s global framework. This status allows BRA to designate official representatives to UN headquarters in New York, Geneva, and Vienna, where they can participate in high-level conferences, submit written statements, and influence international policy discussions. For BRA, this recognition was a validation of its “batey model” of development, empowering the organization to align its grassroots efforts in health, water, and women’s empowerment directly with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and advocate for marginalized populations on a global stage.
Inauguration of “Calle Batey Relief Alliance”: In a rare and profound gesture of national gratitude, the Dominican Republic formally honored the organization by naming a municipal thoroughfare “Calle Batey Relief Alliance.” This designation serves as a permanent physical testament to the organization’s enduring impact on the lives of the country’s most vulnerable populations.
Civic Recognition of Humanitarian Impact: This naming represents a perpetual acknowledgment by the state and the community. It solidifies BRA’s position not just as an external partner, but as a foundational institution woven into the social and civic fabric of the Dominican Republic.
Strategic Transition of the BRA Medical Center: Marking a pinnacle of institutional maturity, in 2017, the Batey Relief Alliance formally transitioned its flagship medical infrastructure in Monte Plata to the Dominican Ministry of Health. This handover ensured the facility’s permanent integration into the national healthcare system, guaranteeing that the high standard of care established by BRA would continue under state stewardship.
Defining the “Legacy of Continuity”: This act redefined BRA’s role from a service provider to a systems architect. By handing over a fully operational, high-capacity medical center, BRA achieved the “Gold Standard” of global development: Succession and Sustainability. The facility remains a permanent fixture of the national landscape, a monument to BRA’s 500-year correction of regional neglect.
Continuity: The transition ensured that 350,000 people did not lose access to care but rather gained the long-term security of a state-backed institution.
A Blueprint for Global Alivio: This exit strategy serves as the definitive “Proof of Concept” for our organization’s future. It demonstrates that BRA does not create dependency; it builds sovereign capacity, allowing the organization to scale its expertise toward new global frontiers while leaving behind a permanent, self-sustaining impact.
Launch of the BRA Women’s Empowerment Initiative: In a decisive move to address the root causes of systemic poverty, BRA launched its Women’s Empowerment Initiative. This program marked a fundamental shift in the organization’s operational philosophy: transitioning from a traditional service-delivery model to a focus on human agency, economic autonomy, and gender equality.
From Service Provider to Policy Advocate: Recognizing that health and nutrition cannot be sustained without economic power, BRA pivoted its resources toward high-impact advocacy and capacity building. By equipping women with micro-loans, vocational training, and leadership skills, the organization transformed its “beneficiaries” into independent economic actors.
Defining the New BRA Identity: This initiative signaled the organization’s evolution into a modern, rights-based NGO. By placing gender equality at the center of its mission, BRA aligned itself with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5, positioning the organization as a leading voice for the marginalized on the global stage.
Inauguration of the BRA Alliance: In a landmark move toward collective impact, BRA launched the “BRA Alliance,” a high-level strategic coalition uniting dozens of local NGOs under a unified operational banner. This initiative was designed to decentralize service delivery while centralizing strategic vision, allowing BRA to scale its proven models with unprecedented speed and local precision.
Aggregating Regional Expertise: By harmonizing the efforts of diverse grassroots partners, the Alliance serves as a force multiplier for BRA’s core pillars: Nutrition, Clean Water, Micronutrient Supplementation, and Primary Healthcare. This collaborative framework ensures that life-saving resources reach the most remote “last-mile” communities through trusted local actors.
A New Model for Regional Governance: The BRA Alliance represents a shift from a traditional NGO structure to a Platform Model. As the lead architect of this coalition, BRA provides the technical oversight, international resources, and rigorous standards, while the Alliance partners provide the localized execution—creating a sustainable ecosystem of self-reliance and shared success.
Sovereign Recognition – “Batey Relief Alliance Day”:
Official State Proclamation: In a historic gesture of national appreciation, the Dominican Government officially decreed October 23 as “Batey Relief Alliance Day.” This sovereign recognition was established to honor the organization’s decades of transformative service and its unwavering commitment to the health and dignity of the nation’s most vulnerable populations.
Validation of National Impact: This proclamation serves as more than a ceremonial honor; it is a formal State validation of BRA’s operational excellence and its role as a primary catalyst for social stability and rural development.
Institutionalization of the Mission: By enshrining the organization into the national calendar, the Dominican state acknowledged that BRA’s impact is not temporary, but a permanent pillar of the country’s humanitarian and developmental history.
A Dual-Track Mandate: The transition to Global Alivio formalizes a two-pronged operational strategy. While we maintain our core competency in providing immediate, life-saving relief during times of acute crisis, we have fundamentally expanded our mission to prioritize the cultivation of self-reliance.
The Architecture of Self-Reliance: Moving beyond the “beneficiary” model, Global Alivio designs programs that function as social investments. By providing communities with the tools of modern agriculture, clean water infrastructure, and economic empowerment, we are not merely alleviating the symptoms of poverty—we are equipping populations with the structural capacity to fight poverty and navigate future crises independently.
Engineering Resilience: This shift marks our evolution from a responder to a resilience partner. We believe that true “Alivio” (Relief) is only achieved when a community no longer requires external intervention to thrive. Our work today is defined by this pursuit of sustainable autonomy, ensuring that every project leaves behind a legacy of strength, dignity, and local ownership.
Candid (formerly GuideStar) Platinum Seal of Transparency: Global Alivio has earned the Platinum Seal, the highest level of recognition awarded by Candid. This designation is reserved for less than 1% of organizations that go beyond basic financial reporting to share comprehensive, quantitative metrics regarding their actual social impact. It signals to global donors that every dollar is tracked, measured, and optimized for maximum community benefit.
Charity Navigator 4-Star Rating: Our organization’s commitment to fiscal responsibility has been validated by Charity Navigator with its prestigious 4-Star Rating. This top-tier evaluation confirms that Global Alivio exceeds industry standards for financial health, accountability, and transparency, outperforming the majority of non-profits in the international development sector.
A “Low-Risk, High-Impact” Investment: Together, these credentials function as a Third-Party Audit of Excellence. They provide institutional donors, government agencies, and corporate partners with the absolute certainty that Batey Relief Alliance (Global Alivio) operates with the rigorous financial discipline of a private-sector firm while maintaining the mission-driven heart of a humanitarian leader.
Publication of the Landmark Menstrual Health Study: BRA, in partnership with University of Minnesota School of Public Health, published a first-of-its-kind study exposing a critical barrier to education in the Dominican Republic. The research revealed that 20% of schoolgirls in rural areas were absent from the classroom for 2–3 days every month due to “period poverty.” This data provided the empirical foundation needed to transform a “taboo” subject into a high-priority national issue.
Catalyzing Legislative Reform and National Debate: The study’s findings acted as a lightning rod, sparking a nationwide debate on menstrual health injustice. This momentum directly motivated legislative proposals to make menstrual products tax-free and more affordable, marking a transition from humanitarian aid to structural policy reform.
Strategic Corporate and NGO Alliances: Leveraging the study’s data, BRA brokered high-impact partnerships with the global brand Always (Procter & Gamble) and The Period Company. These alliances transformed research into immediate action, facilitating the distribution of thousands of sanitary products and ensuring that vulnerable girls could reclaim their right to an uninterrupted education.
Cultivating Self-Reliance through Innovation: In keeping with its 2018 shift toward empowerment, BRA launched a project teaching women and girls how to produce reusable sanitary pads. This initiative moved beyond simple donation, creating a sustainable, locally-owned solution that addresses both economic barriers and environmental impact.
In 1996, I traveled to the Dominican Republic to document the systemic challenges facing migrant workers and other vulnerable people in the “bateyes”. I quickly realized that these communities did not need another book written about them—they needed a scalable, structured environment capable of delivering essential human rights: health, nutrition, and economic opportunity.
On October 23, 1997, we founded the Batey Relief Alliance (BRA) to provide that structure. Over nearly three decades, we have evolved from a grassroots initiative into a high-impact humanitarian engine, delivering a “humanitarian ROI” that is evidenced by rigorous, uncompromising metrics:
4.5 million Lives Impacted: A milestone achieved through a comprehensive ecosystem of health, clean water, and food security.
National Health Infrastructure: We designed and built the Dominican Republic’s first modern health complex in the bateyes, delivering critical medical and HIV care to over 350,000 individuals. This facility was so vital it was later successfully transitioned to the Ministry of Health to be integrated into the national health agenda.
Nutritional Security: We have managed the strategic distribution of 2,600 metric tons of fortified food to combat chronic hunger among 1.2 million people (roughly 11% of the Dominican total population).
Economic Empowerment: Through our Brateyana agricultural cooperative, we have empowered 9,000+ rural women and farmers, transitioning them from subsistence to sustainable livelihoods.
Legislative Influence: Our 2021 landmark study on menstrual health inequity for rural schoolgirls catalyzed a national conversation, leading directly to legislative proposals to protect the education and dignity of young women.
Our success, however, has outgrown our original borders. That is why we transitioned in 2025 to Global Alivio to reflect the borderless nature of our mission. This was a deliberate, strategic evolution. By applying the evidence-based models perfected through the Batey Relief Alliance—from infrastructure development to legislative advocacy—we are ensuring that our experience serves the world’s most vulnerable populations, regardless of geography.
I invite you to join us in this next chapter. This is more than philanthropy; it is a high-impact investment in a more equitable and productive global society.
Thank you for your partnership and your trust.
Ulrick Gaillard, J.D.
