Deep Springs International

Deep Springs International (DSI) is a United States nonprofit organization associated with the development and expansion of Gadyen Dlo, a Haitian point-of-use drinking-water treatment program. Although the organization is identified as a U.S. nonprofit, its operational headquarters is in Léogâne, Haiti, and its work is focused primarily on Haitian communities rather than on a conventional consumer-brand market. The program's principal offering is Gadyen Dlo, a Haitian Creole name meaning “Water Guardian.” It is a locally produced 0.7% sodium hypochlorite solution used to disinfect drinking water in the home or at another point of use. Gadyen Dlo began production and distribution in Haiti in 2002, with early support from Emory University and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. DSI's role has been to support the establishment, growth, and operation of social enterprises that manufacture and distribute the treatment solution, rather than to operate as a conventional chemical-products company. Gadyen Dlo is distributed in refillable bottles, preferably together with safe-storage equipment. The storage package can include a five-gallon plastic bucket fitted with a tap and lid, as well as illustrated instructions in Haitian Creole. This combination addresses both water disinfection and the risk of recontamination during household storage. DSI has used multiple distribution models, including salaried or part-time community distributors and independent vendors that resell the product at a margin. Programs have been supported by international nongovernmental organizations, churches, individual donors, and corporate partners. By November 2010, the household distribution program reportedly reached nearly 40,000 households and an estimated 20,408 children under five. Its reach extended primarily through rural communities in eight of Haiti's ten departments. At that point, the program included four chlorine-production sites, fifteen project sites, and approximately 230 distributors. Production sites were located in Haiti's West, Northwest, North, and South departments. DSI also operated a wholesale channel for institutional and humanitarian partners. In 2010, the program delivered 13,669 liters of Gadyen Dlo for use in treating approximately 48.5 million liters of water. Partners cited in the organization's reference material included Haiti's national water and sanitation authority DINEPA, UNICEF, the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, and Samaritan's Purse. Wholesale support commonly included training for partner personnel and distributors on hygiene promotion, distribution practices, and correct product use. The program has been evaluated by researchers associated with MIT and Emory University. Studies reported positive chlorine residuals in approximately 65% to 85% of households during unannounced visits. A 2007 evaluation found positive residual chlorine in 76% of tests and reported that correct use did not materially decline after families had participated for more than three years. An independent 2010 evaluation involving 706 children under five reported a 51% reduction in diarrhoeal disease incidence. DSI has also explored community-level delivery through a dispenser pilot in Grand-Goâve, implemented with Innovations for Poverty Action and Harvard University. The pilot was intended to make Gadyen Dlo available at the water source rather than relying solely on household bottle distribution. The organization received the 2008 Templeton Freedom Award for Social Entrepreneurship and was discussed by university, public-radio, humanitarian, and other media outlets. Available reference material does not establish DSI's current operating scale, leadership, financial position, or present legal status.

Deep Springs International is documented as a U.S. nonprofit working from Léogâne, Haiti, to support Haitian social enterprises focused on household drinking-water safety. Its central program, Gadyen Dlo, originated in Haiti in 2002 with support from Emory University and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The program was designed around local manufacture and distribution of a 0.7% sodium hypochlorite solution that households could use to chlorinate drinking water. The initiative combined a treatment product with behavior-change and safe-storage measures. Gadyen Dlo was supplied in refillable containers, and distributors were encouraged to provide five-gallon buckets equipped with taps and lids, along with illustrated Haitian Creole instructions. This model sought to reduce microbial contamination at the point of use while limiting recontamination after treatment. DSI supported several types of distribution arrangements, ranging from employees and part-time community health workers to vendors selling the product for a margin. Research helped establish the program's reported public-health performance. Studies connected with MIT and Emory University found that roughly 65% to 85% of households had measurable positive chlorine residuals during unannounced checks. In 2007, technicians found positive residual chlorine in 76% of tests, and the evaluation reported no substantial deterioration in correct use after more than three years of household participation. A separate evaluation conducted in 2010 among 706 children under five reported a 51% reduction in diarrhoeal disease incidence. The program expanded beyond individual household sales through institutional and humanitarian distribution. By November 2010, household services reached almost 40,000 households and an estimated 20,408 children under five, mainly in rural areas spanning eight of Haiti's ten departments. The network comprised four chlorine-production sites, fifteen project sites, and approximately 230 distributors. DSI also supplied organizations such as DINEPA, UNICEF, the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, and Samaritan's Purse. In 2010, its wholesale channel delivered 13,669 liters of solution intended to treat about 48.5 million liters of water and distributed 4,541 safe-storage containers serving an estimated 20,889 Haitians. DSI later participated in a pilot project with Innovations for Poverty Action and Harvard University to test chlorine dispensers in the Grand-Goâve commune. The dispensers were intended to make Gadyen Dlo available at the water source, complementing the established household-bottle model. The organization also worked with a broad network of international nongovernmental organizations, religious groups, universities, and corporations. Listed partners included UNICEF, Caritas, the Spanish Red Cross, the American Red Cross, Save the Children, Samaritan's Purse, Tearfund, Population Services International, Catholic Relief Services, Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health, Project Medishare at the University of Miami, and the University of California, Berkeley. Corporate partners cited in the available material included Nokia, Digicel, LANXESS, NOVA Chemicals, and PPG Industries. Recognition included the 2008 Templeton Freedom Award for Social Entrepreneurship. The program was also covered or profiled by a range of media and institutional publications. The available references document DSI's activities and outcomes through approximately 2010 but do not provide reliable information about its current leadership, funding, operating scale, or whether all documented programs remain active.

• 2010

  Household network reaches nearly 40,000 households

  [1]Deep Springs Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  By November, the distribution program reportedly served almost 40,000 households and an estimated 20,408 children under five across eight Haitian departments.

• 2010

  Independent child-health evaluation reports reduced diarrhoeal disease

  [1]Deep Springs Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  An independent evaluation of 706 children under five reported a 51% reduction in diarrhoeal disease incidence.

• 2010

  Wholesale and dispenser initiatives expand

  [1]Deep Springs Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  The program reported large-scale wholesale deliveries to humanitarian partners and began a source-based chlorine-dispenser pilot in Grand-Goâve with Innovations for Poverty Action and Harvard University.

• 2008

  Templeton Freedom Award recognition

  [1]Deep Springs Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  Deep Springs International received the Templeton Freedom Award for Social Entrepreneurship.

• 2007

  Household-use evaluation reports sustained adoption

  [1]Deep Springs Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  A reported evaluation found positive residual chlorine in 76% of technician tests and no significant decline in correct use after more than three years of participation.

• 2002

  Gadyen Dlo production and distribution begin in Haiti

  [1]Deep Springs Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  The Haitian point-of-use water-treatment program began producing and distributing Gadyen Dlo, with early support from Emory University and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Nonprofit water, sanitation, and hygiene initiative supporting locally produced, socially distributed point-of-use water treatment in Haiti.

• Household water disinfectant · 2002

  Gadyen Dlo

  Gadyen Dlo is a Haitian-produced 0.7% sodium hypochlorite liquid used to chlorinate drinking water at the point of use. It is distributed through refillable bottles and community-based channels, with instructions designed for Haitian households. The product is the central operating platform supported by Deep Springs International and is used in both household and institutional water-treatment programs.

• Water storage equipment

  Safe-water storage containers

  The program distributes or recommends five-gallon plastic buckets fitted with taps and lids for storing treated water. Illustrated instructions in Haitian Creole accompany the containers where possible. The storage component is intended to complement chlorination by reducing handling and contamination risks after water has been treated.

• Community water-treatment equipment

  Gadyen Dlo chlorine dispensers

  The dispenser initiative was a pilot model for making Gadyen Dlo available at a community water source. Developed in Grand-Goâve with Innovations for Poverty Action and Harvard University, it complemented bottle-based household distribution by moving treatment closer to the collection point.

• 2010Gadyen Dlo household distribution program

  Haiti

  A distributed social-enterprise model supplied Gadyen Dlo to rural households through production sites, project sites, community distributors, and resale vendors. The program combined chlorine treatment with safe-storage equipment and hygiene education.

  Outcome. By November 2010, the program reportedly reached nearly 40,000 households and approximately 20,408 children under five across eight Haitian departments.

  Source
• 2010Gadyen Dlo wholesale and humanitarian distribution

  Haiti

  DSI supplied Gadyen Dlo and safe-water storage containers to institutional and humanitarian partners, including DINEPA, UNICEF, MINUSTAH, and Samaritan's Purse. Distribution was accompanied by training on hygiene promotion and correct product use.

  Outcome. The 2010 wholesale program delivered 13,669 liters of solution intended to treat approximately 48.5 million liters of water and supplied 4,541 storage containers.

  Source
• 2010Grand-Goâve chlorine-dispenser pilot

  Grand-Goâve, Haiti

  In partnership with Innovations for Poverty Action and Harvard University, DSI implemented a pilot to dispense Gadyen Dlo at community water sources.

  Source

• 2010

  Add source-based chlorine dispensing to household distributionStrategy

  Background

  Household bottle distribution was supplemented with an approach intended to make chlorine available where people collected water.

  Action taken

  DSI partnered with Innovations for Poverty Action and Harvard University on a chlorine-dispenser pilot in Grand-Goâve.

  Source

• 2002

  Adopt local production and point-of-use distributionStrategy

  Background

  The Haitian program addressed drinking-water safety through locally produced sodium hypochlorite supplied directly to households and community channels.

  Action taken

  The program established production and distribution of Gadyen Dlo in Haiti, supported by academic and public-health partners.

  Aftermath

  The model developed into household, wholesale, and source-based dispenser channels, although the available references do not establish its current status.

  Source

1. 1Deep Springs Internationalen.wikipedia.org