Listin Diario highlights the work of the Milk Bank (Banco de la Leche) along the border with Haiti. The Milk Bank started initially by benefiting 100 families in rural communities in Pedernales and Elias Piña provinces. It will eventually benefit 2,500 families in the border provinces of Independencia, Dajabon, and Monte Cristi, in addition to Pedernales and Elias Piña. The families receive a litre of milk a day produced by small dairy farms. The families commit to plant two wood-producing or fruit-producing trees each day along rivers and streams. The project is sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture, the InterAmerican Institute of Agriculture Cooperaton, and the National Council of Private Business. It also has the support of the German Development Foundation and the Non-Governmental Organization Alliance. Elena Viyella de Paliza, president of the Milk Bank, said corporate and individual donations are welcome. To become a sponsor, a commitment of RD$360 a month is needed, or RD$30,000 to build a plant nursery or RD$5,000 to buy a dairy cow.
