Organized crime, drug and gang-related violence, government corruption, and legacies of armed conflict contribute to pervasive violence and instability throughout Latin America and the Caribbean; over one third of global homicides occur in this region. In 2010, Heartland Alliance International (HAI) began its first direct service projects in Latin America and the Caribbean, focusing on migrant rights and community health initiatives.
Today, HAI leverages its decades of experience to address local needs through a community-based human rights framework. In the Dominican Republic and Colombia, HAI provides legal and mental health services to hard to reach populations, including indigenous communities, survivors of extreme violence, internally displaced people, individuals vulnerable to statelessness, and Venezuelan migrants and refugees.We form strong local partnerships, use evidence-based methods, and perform regular evaluations to ensure our programs reach the people who need them most – and change their lives for the better.
