Over the next year, Deep Springs International will be expanding in Jolivert, Haiti and launching a new program in Les Cayes, Haiti. In Jolivert, DSI assumed the management of an organization that creates jobs and supplies water treatment chemicals to over 2,500 rural households (over 8,400 individuals). Within the next year, we will be making changes to insure the long-term viability of this business and adding between 1,000 and 1,500 additional households from three remote villages. In addition, we will be working with Missions of Love to provide microloans to entrepreneurs that sell water treatment products.

In Les Cayes, DSI has forged partnerships with World Concern, the Haitian Ministry of Education, the Haitian Ministry of Health, and nine partner schools in Les Cayes to provide business and health education and financial services for local entrepreneurs. We will also provide logistical support for a new water treatment business with the capacity to produce water treatment products for 3,000 families (about 10,000 individuals). Over the past year, our staff has been conducting field research and designing educational materials. We are prepared to launch our educational project at our partner schools with a train-the-teacher program next August. World Concern has agreed to micro-finance the local entrepreneurs after training.

Our activities in both regions will improve Haitian communities permanently by equipping them with the education, business techniques, and financing to supply their own needs for safe water.

Specific Activities

With the groundwork DSI has established in Haiti and the requisite funding, we are prepared to:
1. Train 27 teachers from nine partner schools to teach business and health;
2. Support teachers as they train 180 Haitian secondary students in the subsequent academic year;
3. Work with World Concern and Missions of Love to design micro-lending programs for graduates of DSI training programs and local entrepreneurs working with DSI;
4. Establish supply chain for five remote markets in Les Cayes and three remote markets in Jolivert;
5. Establish two business centers in Les Cayes to support and sustain graduates of training programs;
6. Add between 1,000 and 1,500 households from the Jolivert region to the safe water program;
7. Provide training and logistical support for a new water treatment business with the capacity to provide safe water to 3,000 households in Les Cayes.
8. Provide training through Jolivert employees for safe water projects started by NGOs in two other Haitian communities.