Sustainable Clean Water for Les Cayes, Haiti

Summary

DSI is replicating a sustainable safe water project which locally produces a chlorine product, Gadyen Dlo, which is affordable for the rural Haitian population.

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

DSI will reach 13,500 families in rural Haiti who currently do not have access to an affordable source of clean water. One in five children in Haiti dies before their fifth birthday due to waterborne illness. Gadyen Dlo serves a dire need by being affordable and simple to use. Additionally, DSI is bringing jobs to production technicians and education to the community. DSI ensures that health and water treatment education accompanies all trainings of employees and each sale of Gadyen Dlo.

How will this project solve this problem?

DSI produce locally and sell Gadyen Dlo in 8oz bottles at a cost of about twenty-five cents which lasts a family of five forty days. Technicians produce the chlorine and resellers sell to families in the greater les Cayes region.

Potential Long Term Impact

DSI will simultaneously address serious health problems caused by unsafe drinking water, and rampant unemployment. Ultimately we are initiating a unique sustainable approach which will be replicated to provide safe water for all of rural Haiti.

Project Message

The DSI model is the only household water treatment program in the world that focuses on providing water treatment to the poorest of the poor with a full cost-recovery, sustainable business plan.
- Daniele Lantagne, Water System Staff Engineer at the CDC

Additional Documentation

This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Word file (projdoc.doc).

Resources