Protect Haiti - 10,000,000 Gallons of Safe Water

Cholera continues to take its toll on Haitians as a result of poor water and sanitation conditions. During the first six months of the outbreak, over 286,000 cases were seen and a reported 4,879 people died from the disease. As we enter into rainy season, many expect the rates to increase. Chlorinated drinking water continues to be a key to preventing deaths. Thanks to donors like you and our partners on the ground, DSI has expanded its chlorine production and distribution operation. Since the beginning of the outbreak, DSI has produced enough liquid chlorine (Gadyen Dlo) to treat over 40,000,000 gallons of water. As the response shifts toward long-term solutions, chlorine sources that are affordable, high-quality, and locally available are much-needed. DSI has begun a partnership with UNICEF and DINEPA (the Ministry of Water and Sanitation) to provide bottles of chlorine that will treat over 92,000,000 gallons of water. As our liquid chlorine reaches Haitian families at the national level, your support helps ensure that these families will be able to access chlorinated water on an ongoing basis. We aim to continue impacting increasing numbers of rural Haitian families so as to slow cholera and prevent future outbreaks.

Links:

• www.deepspringsinternational.org

11-30-10, Report from Leogane, Haiti:

A cholera outbreak has taken the lives of over 1,415 Haitians and hospitalized 25,248 Haitians (MSPP, 11/23/10) in Haiti's worst health crisis since the January earthquake.   The areas most affected include the Artibonite Valley (a location of many persons displaced by the earthquake), Port-au-Prince, Arcahaie (near Port-au-Prince), and Limbe (near DSI communities Bas Limbe and Port Margot).

According to the Pan American Health Organization, the number of cases will continue to grow because Haitians do not have any built-up immunity to cholera.  4.1 million rural Haitians need our help.

DSI’s Actions

10,000,000 gallons of safe water seems crazy, but DSI has already implemented programs in response to the cholera outbreak to purify over 48 million liters of water (over 12,000,000 gallons):

• 18,999,750 liters purified by providing UNICEF with Gadyen Dlo for distributions across Haiti through Catholic Relief Services, World Vision, and other partners
• 18,870,458 liters purified by providing Gadyen Dlo and treatment systems to MINUSTAH
• 7,634,504 liters purified by providing treatment systems and Gadyen Dlo to 353 schools in the Artibonite Valley with UNICEF
• 2,027,577 liters purified by the provision of household treatment systems and Gadyen Dlo to Samaritan’s Purse for distribution to patients and families in its Port-au-Prince Cholera Treatment Center
• 973,237 liters purified by providing 340 liters of Gadyen Dlo to DINEPA, Haiti’s Ministry of Water and Sanitation

Thanks to PPG Industries, we are also providing over 2,000 pounds of chlorine tablets to our strategic partner, International Action, whose team is installing 50 chlorinators (“tablet feeders”) to serve the communities in the Artibonite Valley.

The over 70,000 Haitians we directly serve in the earthquake zone have increased their demand for liquid chlorine over the past two months.  In addition to training over 120 health workers on cholera-related issues, we are strategically expanding within this community to provide life saving clean water to 5,700 more families (44,620 Haitians).

Your Opportunity

Support this Phase II program to deliver more safe water and protect the people of Haiti.  If you have any questions, please contact Etta Casalnova at Etta.casalnova@deepspringsinternational.org.

Links:

• Visit our website for more program information