Build Center to Care for Sexually Abused Children

Hi there!

We have exciting news. Even though we are still far from building the center we dream of, we continue to serve abused children the best we can. We are happy to share that after months of negotiations, direct support and medical follow-up, we were able to secure a spot in a government shelter for a young lady (15) and her baby. She was in a situation of extreme vulnerability, with no income, no way to access education or employment, no house and no family to help her. She also had some medical and mental health issues that required attention and COIN's clinic was able to provide the care she and her baby needed and even go the extra mile to help her access services that are not provided at our clinic. 

Our social work team provided continuous mentoring and emotional support while or human rights department negotiated with the government institutions and navigated the system to ensure a safe place where she and her baby can thrive. 

COIN also provided school supplies for children in extreme poverty to ensure that they could go back to school this school year. 300 children from different parts of the country (Veron, Jarabacoa, Santo Domingo, La Victoria) received backpacks with schools supplies in them. 

COIN continues to support abused teen moms to help them register their children, get their IDs and paperwork to reintegrate the school system. This work in done on a case by case basis and each step forward is a big win for us.

Thank you for your support, 

---English below---

Estimados amigos, patrocinadores y colegas:

Quizás estén al tanto de la situación que estamos viviendo en República Dominicana con las nuevas medidas gubernamentales para aumentar la deportación de migrantes haitianos. Si no lo están, la última novedad es la asignación de oficiales de inmigración a hospitales para que puedan deportar a cualquier inmigrante indocumentado que busque atención médica. Esto ha provocado que la mayoría de las personas no reciban la atención que necesitan por miedo a la deportación, que las mujeres den a luz en las calles y en hogares sin asistencia médica ni condiciones mínimas de salud y seguridad, y que muchas mujeres sean trasladadas en camiones para ser hospitalizadas en la frontera con Haití tan solo un día después de dar a luz (con o sin sus bebés).

Para una organización como la nuestra, que cree en un enfoque de salud para todos, esta es una situación trágica. Estamos redoblando nuestros esfuerzos para atender a la mayor cantidad de personas posible, y esta es la noticia principal de este informe: ¡Hemos decidido obtener la autorización para brindar atención a niños con VIH! Ahora, brindamos atención a las madres, pero los niños deben acudir a un centro especializado administrado por el gobierno. Por supuesto, las madres haitianas se enfrentan ahora al dilema de ser deportadas o de que sus hijos se queden sin atención ni tratamiento. Por ello, creemos que este es un paso necesario para nosotros, para poder brindarles la atención que necesitan.

Ahora nos enfrentamos a nuestro propio dilema. Como habrán notado, han pasado varios años desde que lanzamos la campaña, y aunque hemos seguido brindando servicios a jóvenes y niños, los fondos no han sido suficientes para construir el centro. Creemos que la necesidad más urgente ahora reside en otra parte. Por ello, estamos considerando realinear este proyecto o iniciar uno nuevo enfocado en brindar la atención tan necesaria a jóvenes y niños en riesgo, incluyendo jóvenes y niños indocumentados y jóvenes/niños que viven con VIH.

Mientras navegamos en esta época de incertidumbre, estamos profundamente agradecidos por el apoyo que nos han brindado y continúan brindándonos, y los mantendremos informados de los nuevos avances tan pronto como tengamos más detalles.

Mientras tanto, cuídense y sigan luchando por un mundo más seguro y justo.

Con un cordial saludo,

Dear friends, sponsors, and colleagues, 

You might be aware of the situation we are undergoing in the Dominican Republic with the new government measures to increase the deportation of Haitian migrants. If you are not, the latest development is the assignment of immigration officers to hospitals so they can deport any undocumented immigrant who seeks healthcare. This has led to most people not getting the care they need for fear of deportation, women giving birth on the streets and in homes without any medical support or minimal health and safety conditions and many women being taken in trucks to be damped at the border with Haiti just one day after giving birth (with or without their babies). 

For an organization like ours that believes in a health for all approach, this is a tragic situation. We are doubling our efforts to serve as many people as we can and this is the main news in this report. We have decided to become approved to provide care to children living with HIV!! Now, we provide care to the mothers, but children have to go to a specialized center run by the government. Of course, Haitian mothers are now faced with the dilemma of being deported or having their kids go without care and treatment. For this reason, we believe this is a necessary step for us, so we can provide the care those children need. 

Now we are facing our own dilemma. As you might have noticed, it has been several years since we launched the campaign, and although we have kept providing the services to youth and children, funding has not been sufficient to build the center. We believe the most urgent need lies somewhere else now. For this reason, we are considering realigning this project or starting a new project focused on providing much-needed care for at-risk youth and children, including undocumented youth and children and youth/children living with HIV. 

As we navigate this season of uncertainty, we are deeply grateful for the support you have provided and continue to provide and we will keep you up to date with the new developments as soon as we have more details.

Meanwhile, stay safe and continue to fight for a safer, more just world, 

With high regards,