Abstract
The present study was commissioned by the USAID mission in the Dominican Republic to assess the development effectiveness of the Batey Community Development Project (BCDP) funded by the agency and implemented in the Dominican Republic from November 2008 through June 2013. The project sought to induce sustainable improvements in the living conditions of the "Bateys," former sugar cane work camps which are home to poor Haitian migrant workers and Dominicans. The project aimed to focus on basic health, education services, income generating activities and linkages to other programs that can also contribute to provide livelihood improvements to said communities. The study aims to measure the project's development effectiveness, analyze its implications and sustainability, identify lessons and provide feed-back to stakeholders on the Project's operational and strategic guidelines. Specifically, the study seeks to answer questions on: (1) to what extent has the BCDP affected the quality of life of the batey residents; (2) what repercussions has the project had in participation, organization and mobilization of the batey communities; and (3) to what extent has the project been successful in creating partnerships with key external actors, such as the Ministries of Health and Education. (Excerpt, modified)