Reliable access to safe water saves lives, improves livelihoods, and makes communities more resilient. While the Dominican Republic’s economic dependence on agriculture and tourism require effective natural resource management for the overall welfare of the population, the country is ranked as one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to climate change. 

In partnership with the Dominican government and local communities, Counterpart will work to strengthen climate resilience by promoting water security and sustainable livelihoods in the Dajabón watershed through the new five-year USAID Climate Adaptation Activity, which will run from 2024 to 2029.

A fishing trip in Montecristi, part of Counterpart’s Integrated Marine Ecosystem Management in Northern Hispaniola project, which operated from 2019 to 2022.

With nearly 20 years of continuous operations in the Dominican Republic, including in the border region of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, Counterpart is a long-serving USAID implementer with an extensive network of partners who are fostering sustainable impact for rural communities. Building on Counterpart’s USAID-funded Integrated Marine Ecosystems Management in Northern Hispaniola project and past USAID investments, Counterpart has formed a team consisting of the Institute for the Development of the Northwest, AgroFrontera, Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo, and Northwater, combined with government of the Dominican Republic and private sector partners.  

Through a participatory, co-created, and community-based approach, Counterpart and our partners will enable local civil society organizations, government, private sector, and communities to collectively overcome development challenges in Dajabón to reduce misuse of and pressure on ecosystems, while minimizing disruption to those whose livelihoods depend on them. The project will enable local partners with a long-term presence to deliver truly locally led and owned solutions along the Dominican Republic-Haiti border. 

Our team will serve as a convener and facilitator of diverse stakeholders on both sides of the river whose collective participation will be vital for reducing pressures of key water sources, enhancing watershed governance, and strengthening adaptive practices to ensure reliable, clean, and abundant water in Dajabón.