Commercial sex workers (CSWs) and their clients; Haitian migrant workers and batey residents; sexually active young adults; adolescents aged 10-14 years (HIV/AIDS); Children under five, rural communities (safe water); Women of reproductive age, children under five, people living with HIV/AIDS (nutrition).

VitalDía multivitamin since 2006

PUR purifier of water since 2006

Pante male condoms since 2003

The Federal Republic of Germany through KfW Entwicklungsbank (the German development bank)

Private foundations

Procter & Gamble

UNICEF

United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

Technical assistance to the public sector began in 1998. PSI began direct implementation of programs in 2003.

HIV/AIDS

Delayed Debut
In January of 2006, PSI launched a Delayed Debut campaign directed at adolescents between 10-14 years old and their parents. PSI is addressing the need to reach youth before they become sexually active, reinforcing their capacity and motivation to abstain from sexual activity. PSI launched two separate campaigns as part of the project: A campaign directed toward adolescents entitled “El Sexo No Es un Juego” (Sex is Not a Game) that included a song and music video from popular reggaeton artist Don Miguelo; and a campaign targeting parents entitled “Silence is Worse” to encourage parents to talk with their children about sexual and reproductive health issues.

Targeted Condom Social Marketing
PSI social markets condoms to those at highest risk of HIV/AIDS. Project sales points include commercial sex establishments, motels and colmados (kiosks) in regions with high prevalence of commercial sex. PSI employs CSWs to pack project condoms, providing an opportunity for them to leave the streets, effectively improving their quality of life. As a result of the savings generated, many of the women have left commercial sex work to start their own businesses. PSI is developing a second targeted condom social marketing project to be launched mid-2006 in the Bateyes (sugar-cane plantations with a large population of migrant workers) throughout the Dominican Republic.

Child Survival

Safe Water
PSI is bringing PUR Purifier of Water to needy communities in the Dominican Republic. The strategy combines the force of Procter and Gamble's commercial distribution system with PSI's network of community-based groups. As part of P&G's focal philanthropy, the Children's Safe Drinking Water program, P&G is providing PuR sachets at a not-for-profit cost to PSI who is then using a novel four-tier strategy to provide PuR in the Dominican Republic.

Future Plans

• PSI is developing two nutritional supplements for people living with HIV/AIDS to be launched later in 2006. The products will be accompanied by educational materials and training manuals for people living with HIV/AIDS, to empower them to improve their nutritional status through dietary choices.
• PSI is currently developing creative behavior change communication approaches and strategies to reach sexually active adults in the bateyes. All communication messages and strategies will be grounded in extensive qualitative and quantitative research, and developed jointly with local grassroots NGOs working directly in the batey communities.