Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led to recurrent violence as rival gangs affiliated with the major political parties evolved into powerful organized crime networks involved in international drug smuggling and money laundering. Violent crime, drug trafficking, and poverty pose significant challenges to the government today. Nonetheless, many rural and resort areas remain relatively safe and contribute substantially to the economy.

ACCESS Updates and Progress in Jamaica

Currently working towards funding the expansion and renovation of a primary school. Visit the Projects page for more accurate updates.

Military rule, corruption, a huge wealth gap, crime and natural disasters have rendered Honduras one of the least developed and least secure countries in Central America. The country has a youthful population as 50% of Hondurans are under the age of 19.

ACCESS Updates and Progress in Honduras

Honduras is one of our destinations for shipping school supplies. Through Dr. Simone's Canadian Food for Children organization, ACCESS has been able to establish a secure and efficient means of shipping to the country. Through these means, ACCESS has planned to establish regular shipping to Honduras, in an area where there are schools starting off with no supplies. Our current shipments are sent to Father Patricio, who runs a school for 2,500 children in Honduras. Visit the Projects page for more accurate updates.

The Republic of Colombia is located in Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea (between Panama and Venezuela ) and bordering the North Pacific Ocean (between Ecuador and Panama). It's estimated population as of 2006 is 43,500,000 people.

Although the unemployment rate is only 11.1%, sadly 49.2% of Colombia 's population is living below the poverty line. Colombia is the second most populated country and largest Spanish speaking country in South America. It currently suffers from conflicts involving rebel guerrilla groups, paramilitary militias, drug trafficking and corruption.

ACCESS Updates and Progress in Colombia

Our initial project of building a safe recreational patio for kindergarten students was completed in 2007 (pictures can be found on the News page). ACCESS has also supported a second project in Colombia, in which we installed whiteboards for elementary school classrooms. To begin their 2008 school year ACCESS purchased basic school supplies for several students, and will continue to explore development projects in the community. Visit the Projects page for more accurate updates.

The Dominican Republic is located in the Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti. Dominican Republic's population is 9,183,984. Approximately 62% of the population is between 15-64 years of age. The official spoken language is Spanish, and 95% of the population is Roman Catholic.

There is growth in the economy, however very high unemployment rates and inflation are important issues. The poorest portion of the population receives less than 1/5 of GNP, while the richest 10% enjoy almost 40% of national income.

ACCESS Updates and Progress in Dominican Republic

The initial ACCESS School Uniform project continues, based on the availability of uniforms and student enrollment. Hundreds of students in over 10 schools have benefited from funds sent by ACCESS. Most recently, uniforms have been purchased for students in a school for deaf-mute students, in addition to a large purchase of uniforms for students living in another batey. Visit the Projects page for more accurate updates.

The below information is courtesy of "Christian Aid" and can be found on their website at www.christianaid.org.uk (ACCESS Charity takes no credit for the following text or information)

The Dominican Republic

Although the World Bank classifies the Dominican Republic (DR) as a middle-income country, one in six of the population struggles to get by on $2 a day. Among the poorest are migrants from Haiti, which shares the island of Hispanic with the DR.
Updated May 2006

Violence, crime and civil unrest
There has been a steady increase in rates of violence and crime in the DR recently (however, there are efforts to help solve problems). Critics believe the government is trying to deflect public attention from its own failings by scapegoating Haitians and carrying out vote-winning deportations.

Also, the increasing use of Dominican territory by drug traffickers is causing the government increasing concern.

There have been recent protests against the presence of US troops in the DR. The troops are taking part in a humanitarian and training mission to build medical clinics and train reservists. But many see this presence as a challenge to the DR’s sovereignty.

Repatriations and Human Rights
In May 2005, the government began to forcibly repatriate thousands of Haitians and Dominico-Haitians to Haiti. International human rights laws were ignored as people were taken from their homes and dumped at the border in the middle of the night.

Following violent attacks against Haitians and Dominico-Haitians in 2005, campaigners are pressing for the government to respect international human rights norms and investigate all crimes.

Campaigners are also voicing their concerns that a significant proportion of the population cannot access public services. This is due to a lack of citizenship or residence papers.

Trade
Despite popular protests, the government signed up to the Central America Free Trade Agreement, known as DR-CAFTA. Proponents of the agreement claim it will bolster economic growth and democracy in the region.

Opponents believe it will have a detrimental effect on local production, leaving local farmers unable to compete with cheap imported food.

Republic of Colombia

Internal conflict has been raging in Colombia for the past four decades. Contrary to popular belief, the war is not just about drugs. The conflict being waged is by guerrillas against the state; paramilitaries and the state against the guerrillas. Drug production and trafficking finance the war.

Updated June 2006

Poverty
There is stark economic inequality in Colombia where the richest 20% hold more than half of the country's resources. According to the UN, around 9.7 million people live on less than US$2 a day in Colombia.

Conflict
Innocent unarmed civilians are caught in the middle of Colombia's internal conflict, victims of a military and economic strategy. Those with economic power want to get people off the land so they can exploit it for commercial purposes and this has at times led to massacres and large-scale forced displacement.

Colombia has the second-highest number of internally displaced people in the world. According to the UN Refugee Agency, between two and three million people have been forced to flee their homes during the last four decades.

This 'dirty war' claims thousands of civilian lives every year and involves the systematic abuse of human rights, violent evictions, massacres and torture.

Members of Christian Aid partner organizations are among those who have been threatened, forced into exile or killed.

Politics
President Uribe was re-elected in June after changing the law to allow presidents to stand for a second term. Uribe has pledged to continue his tough ‘anti-terrorism’ policies.

The government’s controversial ‘Justice and Peace Law’ offers reduced prison sentences and financial benefits to paramilitaries and guerrillas who demobilize. More than 20,000 paramilitaries have handed over their weapons, but many fear their crimes will go unpunished.

The Honduras

Eight years after Hurricane Mitch killed 8,000 people, left 1.5 million homeless and destroyed crops and infrastructure, the long term effects of the hurricane are still felt. Today more than 44% of the population live on less than $2 a day.

Natural disasters
The country was hard hit by the recent tropical storms across the region, which caused severe flooding and landslides. In November, Tropical Storm Gamma, battered the country’s coasts. It caused thirty-two deaths and destroyed the already vulnerable livelihoods of thousands more people.

Politics
Presidential elections took place in November 2005. Despite delays with the final vote count, the opposition candidate Manuel Zelaya became the new President.

Like his predecessor from the National Party (PN), Ricardo Maduro, Zelaya favours a hard-line approach to crime.

However, Zelaya has pledged to combat crime by addressing its root causes – that is, poverty and disenfranchisement of the bulk of the population.

Crime
Honduras is one of the most violent countries in Latin America. Poverty and the prospects offered by drug trafficking have contributed to a crime wave, run mainly by street gangs.

Drug trafficking has reached such levels that the US government has warned Honduras that it will lose government aid if it does not improve its anti-drugs policies.

Before, people were immediately arrested and jailed if suspected of being a gang-member. However, since Zelaya took office, talks have begun with the country’s biggest gangs. While human rights activists are still concerned, this is seen as a positive step

Trade
Rural areas which depend on coffee crops have been badly affected by plummeting price of coffee over the last few years.

The Honduran government decided to back the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), despite protests by local producers.

The treaty aims to abolish all trade barriers between the US, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras and the Dominican Republic in the next ten years. However it is feared that the US will benefit most and leave Central American governments almost powerless to protect their own producers.

Information from www.christianaid.org.uk