In the last decade, USAID has continued to focus on providing efficient and effective health services, promoting human rights and citizen security, supporting governance, and mitigating climate threats.

Environment and Development: In order to help the Dominican Republic in their prosperity journey, climate threats and pollution have to be reduced. To achieve this, USAID has helped train 239 fishers and farmers in sustainable farming and responsible fishing approaches, improve their economic benefits from sustainable natural resource management and improve the management of over 5,500 hectares of biologically significant ecosystems in Northern Hispaniola.

In this decade, USAID also collaborated with a long-time partner, the Center of Emergency Operations, through donations, capacity building and the development of an app to provide users with climate notices, warnings, and other advisories. This app also allows the COE to receive notifications directly from users to help the center act fast if emergencies arise. Additionally, USAID focused on activities to strengthen relationships with the private sector, such as Baseball Cares, Engendering Industries, and Sustainable Cocoa Farming.

Youth: In 2012, USAID’s At-Risk Youth Project created opportunities for vulnerable youth from crime-afflicted, low-income communities to break the cycle of crime and violence and chart a path for a better future. To date, the project has reached over 155,000 beneficiaries resulting in improved school participation, entrepreneurship, positive youth development, increased livelihoods and quality of life of the youth. Over 18,000 youth participated in entrepreneurship programs, over 65,000 participated in health prevention programs to increase their quality of life, and with support from vocational training programs over 8,000 youth got better jobs.

Health: Through the United States President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), USAID has focused on working with the government of the Dominican Republic as well as non-governmental and community-based organizations to achieve control of the HIV epidemic. Under this support, USAID has been able to provide HIV testing services to over 282,000 patients, supported over 9,000 to start life-saving antiretroviral treatment and achieved viral suppression of over 9,600 patients, which ensures patients will stay healthy and live longer, and greatly reduces their chances of passing HIV on to others.

In the 2010s, USAID Assistance to the Dominican Ministry of Health helped eliminate ghost workers and implemented a national performance management system in fourteen hospitals. Cost savings were reinvested to support staffing, purchase needed medicines and supplies, repair and renovate health facilities, and increase access to primary care services. USAID also supported the development of a National Condom Strategy, distributed more than 185 million condoms, increased the availability of medications in health facilities from 81% to 92%, and contributed to a significant increase in condom use among key populations.

USAID also supported the Dominican Health Sector with its Zika project between 2016 and 2019. The program helped train over 200 health providers in 17 high volume hospitals, disseminate prevention messages in over 54,000 household visits and supported over 100 families with infants affected by the Zika virus. This helped the Dominican people establish emergency supply chain processes and procedures and be prepared to respond to mosquito-borne viruses and other public health threats.

Democracy and Governance: USAID has been working with the Dominican government and with civil society institutions to guarantee access to justice services, mentor, train and help the Dominican National Police representatives to incorporate best standards and practices; and structure dialogues with communities to build relations that promote credibility and trust with the police. In 2005, USAID supported the creation of the Community Houses of Justice pilot project, which in 15 years they have helped more than 460,000 people to access justice easily and quickly, at no cost and with humane treatment.

USAID assisted the Dominican National Police in developing a policy that offers recommendations for inclusion, accessibility, and mutual recognition, and 23 people were trained in the model of police culture and relationship with the LGTBI community, which ensures that vulnerable and marginalized populations are recognized and have access to police services.

Anti Corruption initiatives have also been part of USAID’s work in the last few years. Between 2017 to 2021, USAID provided anti-corruption training to over 1,500 government officials. The Agency also has provided technical assistance to strengthen the institutional capacity of key government institutions to prevent and combat corruption. Another important step USAID has supported is the development of over 158 citizen security roundtables in all municipalities in the Dominican Republic. These roundtables help civil society organizations, municipal governments, the private sector, community groups, and faith-based organizations to join efforts to promote citizen security in their communities.

LGBTI people and people with disabilities have also been part of USAID's assistance in the 2010 decade. USAID helped train and support over 260 human rights organizations to assist vulnerable populations of the LGBTI community, help over 2,000 human rights defenders support the community when they access the justice system, and provide economic opportunities to increase their livelihoods.

Education: In the education sector, USAID has helped improve the reading skills of over 286,000 students in over 380 schools; developed over 645,000 reading materials and teacher guides that precisely targets boosting literacy skills; and trained over 2,000 teachers on best practices for effective reading instruction in almost six years of implementation.

These successes demonstrate how USAID has supported the Dominican Republic’s growth and prosperity.

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