(Day 3) Spotlight: Batey 50

On Day 3, we went to the med clinic and Joe Hartman School per usual, but we did not go to Batey Papita.  Instead, we sent a small but spirited crew to Batey 50, where it all began.

What's a batey?  A batey is a workcamp, where mostly Hatian immigrants work directly for a sugar cane company in exchange for little pay and substandard housing.  Work conditions are extremely poor, and access to healthcare and educaiton is extraordinarily limited.  In the Dominican Republic, there are 127 bateys, 90% of which are operated under a single sugar cane company.

Batey 50 was one of the first bateys selected for the construction of hurricane-proof houses by volunteer groups.  One of the poorest in the area and the most remote, the batey originally contained houses made of scrap metal, cardboard, blankets, sticks, and anything people could put together.   Many of the former Watkinson Service Trips would visit Batey 50 regularly, so we have a longstanding history.  We have since built concrete houses for all of the families in the batey, elevating the quality of life for its residents immeasurably.

John Crosson, Assistant Head of School

Today we said hello to some of our old friends.  We helped a worker put a tile floor in a new home.  The majority of the group went down to the river where a community garden is being planned.  We used pickaxes, shovels, and wheelbarrows to add dirt to level the garden site.  Some of our interpreters worked alongside us in the hot sun, keeping morale high.  While it was a beautiful site, we saw the need for more work to be done before the garden is fully finished.

Pictured here is Liz Benfield, a alumna of Watkinson ('07) and a current Spanish teacher at University High School of Science & Engineering.  The picture on the left was taken in 2012 on Ms. Benfield's first trip to the DR.  She met the cutest little girl named Erica, and fell in love instantly.  When she found out Erica needed a sponsor to be able to attend school, it was a no-brainer.  $60 per year is "chump change" to give a child an education for a year.  Today, Ms. Benfield returned to Batey 50 and saw Erica again.  They took an updated picture together, as seen on the right.  Please note that on the left and right you can see Liz donning the same pair of orange shades.  (Fun fact: she also wore the exact same pair of shorts, making her head-to-toe outfits 100% identical.)

Everyone returned home from Batey 50 with smiles on their face and warmth in their hearts.  We can't wait to celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow as a group, but we will miss all of our families at home!  Safe travels and happy eats.  :)  Hasta luego.