Let Us Get to Know Beneco Enecia

How did CEDESO come about?

CEDESO emerged in a context of emergency caused by flooding of the Yaque del Sur River as a consequence of Hurricane Georges in 1998. Together with a group of friends, we realized that our area needed not only an emergency response, but a more sustainable response. That was when we began to think about what the different people who were part of various spaces and organizations could continue doing, joining hands and accompanying the development process in the post-emergency area.

Can you tell us about some projects you are currently working on?

At present, Dignified Treatment is a project that seeks to respond to the risks faced by undocumented persons and those affected by Judgment 168-13 who, despite Law 169-14, still have not obtained an effective and efficient response to their documentation problem. We also seek to remain very close to the observation and monitoring of what happens and, whenever we learn of a case, to intervene before the authorities in order to expose the situation faced by that person. When appropriate, we try to prove with documentation the need for that person to be able to return and be reintegrated with his or her family. If some kind of psycho-emotional or legal support is required, through this project we try to respond to that situation.

In the health area, we are implementing in the communities, with the communities and for the communities the integration of batey communities into the National Health System (SNS) in order to achieve better conditions, under the strategy of creating infrastructure and equipment so that the system can provide sustainable and nearby human resources to offer health services to batey communities.

What is most interesting about that project and how does it apply to your professional practice?

There are several important elements. The first is that the fact that the project is there allows us to account for any situation of arbitrariness that may arise in that context. The second is that through the project the mechanisms are established to bring us closer to the guarantors of rights, the authorities, and the institutions in order to expose the situation and discuss the necessary protection guarantee for the person whose rights are being violated by some authority.

Can you tell us what the experience of working together with OBMICA has been like?

It has been very positive and very interesting, because I see that in the experience we have had it has been possible to combine strong elements of both organizations. OBMICA has very valuable expertise in research for action. And that means it allows us to support things objectively, to analyze any phenomenon in the light of research, science, and legal or scientific criteria. Our presence in the area as CEDESO allows us to be in the day-to-day, without losing sight of the strategic side that is complemented by the perspective provided by OBMICA.