Fernando Decillis was recently contacted by a friend who works at CNN to collaborate on an investigative story concerning the Haitian immigration crisis on the island of Hispañola in the Dominican Republic. Due to a drastic decrease in sugar production in the Dominican Republic, generations of Hatian migrant workers are now no longer welcome and struggling with what to do and where to go. There are now 3,000 people in refugee camps along the border between the two countries, while some still hang on in bateyes, poorly constructed migrant housing that surround the sugarcane fields. There are signs of hope, however. Humanitarian efforts have started in the area. The Joan Rose Foundation, whose mission is to end the cycle of poverty, is building housing in hopes of keeping families together and to create stability in the community. This resulting custom gallery of photos document the crisis and the determination of all involved to create positive change.
