Safe Water & On-going Relief in Haiti

DSI has always been committed to long-term impact and sustainability, and recently we have focused increasingly on investing in the human element of sustainability and promoting management by local staff.  For the first time, Field Supervisors from all around the country meet for a 3-day retreat in Jolivert (northwest Haiti) to share lessons learned and mentor each other as they develop strategy.  There were 14 attendees, and supervisors from each of four geographical sites presented how their project is structured to the rest of the group.  The Jolivert staff also gave a tour of their production facilities, as Jolivert was the first location that Gadyen Dlo was produced and has served as a reference point for other sites.  We also considered key performance indicators, discussed ideas for innovative approaches, and held a series of role play activities in which groups made presentations to each other.  The Supervisors said that they felt encouraged to meet each other and were energized to return to their programs and incorporate the concepts discussed.

DSI continues to expand in northern Haiti, particularly through our partnership with UNICEF and Cesvi.  We have trained 41 health agents about Gadyen Dlo who are part of the Ministry of Health network.  These agents have distributed bottles of Gadyen Dlo chlorine to over 11,000 families and are conducting household visits on an ongoing basis.  The focus in the months ahead is to distribute safe storage containers through a partnership with CDC, to transition from free distributions to sales of chlorine, and to increase visibility and promotion of Gadyen Dlo in the community.

Our strategy for this year focuses on optimizing how Gadyen Dlo chlorine is delivered to families.  The mix of marketing, household visits, and sales mechanisms vary among each location where Gadyen Dlo is offered.  In the coming months, with the help of CDC and graduate students, we will be evaluating the effectiveness of these different models as we attempt to optimize how families have access to chlorine.  We are excited about the opportunities to improve our work and increase the number of families who treat their water correctly and consistently.

A particular focus in the coming months is on northern Haiti.  Through partnerships with UNICEF, DINEPA, and Cesvi, we will be expanding to 13,000 families (estimated 65,000 individuals) in the communes of Milot and Plaine du Nord.  We have hired two new Field Supervisors and are in the process of identifying and training over 50 chlorine resellers and health agents.  After families receive an initial free bottle of chlorine, the resellers will make refills available to these families.  The trainings will be accompanied by radio spots, promotion in schools, community events, and household visits.  We are excited to bring the lessons we have learned about community mobilization and promotion in other sites to guide our campaigns in Milot and Plaine du Nord.