What’s up everyoneeee? 

We miss you all so much and can’t wait to see you all!

Let’s dive into what we did today! Sadly, we had to wake up at 6 am again; however, we all got up happily and eager to get to work! We had a yummy breakfast that included ham & cheese rolls, bread, and the additional amazing option of yummy fruit. Of course, we also had cereal available as a bit of additional food. 

Right after breakfast, we went onto the bus (mostly known as the “Wa-Wa”). We went to a foundation called ASCALA. We learned about ASCALA’s mission statement, which is to help Haitian immigrants get their Dominican Republic citizenship. We were able to talk to Maria, Anison, and Matia and get some brief insight into the organization and experiences with getting citizenship. The reason why this organization exists is that the DR’s government made a law that every Haitian born between 1929 – 2010 had to reapply for citizenship, even though the majority were born here. They refused to grant citizenship to many, as the Dominican government is incredibly racist and does not want the Haitians to have a home here.

Because of this discrimination, Haitians live in fear. The Dominican Republic is much safer than their homelands, but they live with the constant threat of deportation. Many are afraid to speak their native language or act too Haitian, but the sad reality is that they can’t change the color of their skin, and most of the country views those with darker skin as Haitian automatically. Because they live in fear of deportation, these refugees have no choice but to work for sugar companies. At ASCALA, the workers are paid a more competitive salary of 150 pesos per ton of sugarcane they cut, and typically a single person can cut about 3 tons a day. In total, that is about $10 USD per day, IF the man weighing the sugar for them is truthful about how much they cut. This extremely low salary also comes with housing on the Bateyes, so it is basically like a form of indentured servitude. Despite this, the Haitians still prefer this life over the life they had in Haiti. 

After our discussion, we had a touching moment of “Big Love” ( A moment of gratitude) and took a group photo with the nuns who run ASCALA, which you might see below! Next, we headed to the sugar cane fields and we met up with Dictorada to see how sugar cane is cut. We had a meaningful conversation with him out on the fields about the toll the work takes on people both mentally and physically, and he offered some important insight into how grueling the sugarcane industry truly is. We also learned that if a field is not producing cane, it will burn the field to the ground in hopes of creating more fertile soil for the cane to grow properly. Ultimately, we have learned to be a lot more mindful about our sugar consumption and to make sure we are getting it from places that treat their workers fairly.

Next, we got on the “Wa- Wa” and came Back to the Rancho where we ate lunch that consisted of chicken and bell peppers, and a combination of rice and fruit. Then, right after, we had a quick and meaningful self-reflection session about what we learned from ASCALA and Dictorada. We then had a quick 30-minute break, and then we came back to have our cap project discovery seminar. During this, we discussed and planned out our projects and were also prepping ourselves, mentally gathering together to bring our ideas to the board. Fun fact: we found out that we are need-based thinkers! We only focused on things the community truly needed, not things we wanted or thought would be nice. This is the better type of planning, as we know the community will benefit from the changes and will have a better chance of sustaining it once we are gone. Then, once we were done, The GGLs blessed us with a 3-hour break! 

Butttt, during the break, we had a power outage that affected the community! This is something that is rather common in a community like this. It made us all very grateful for what we have back home, as the electricity was out for several hours.  We then ate dinner which consisted of spaghetti and meatballs, Alfredo, garlic bread, and fruit, while it was still light outside. But after we had our nightly meeting in the dark! Which I (Zariya) had fun with, especially with the flashlight. Then we passed the torch to Xoie and LeBron where they showed us their amazing dance skills. Then once they went over their agenda for tomorrow, we all participated in a competitive game of hide and seek in the dark! Which was incredibly fun. Then after 3 hours, the power came on! And by that time it was lights out! We were all incredibly grateful for the returned power, as it meant we were able to sleep in the air conditioning!

Sorry for the delayed post. We love and miss you all and will see you for ANOTHER post in just a few short hours. 

Stay tuned, 

Zariya and Giselle