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Plaine du Nord lies in the valley, south of Cap Haitien and below the Massif Du Nord mountain range. This is the location where Dr. Eugene Maklin and Haiti Mission Branch du Nord (HMBN) have begun construction on a desperately needed 200 bed hospital to serve the 250,000 underserved people in the region. Dr. Maklin, a native Haitian, runs several health clinics and also a microfinance organization – all to help the people of Haiti. He strives to bring those living in Haiti out of poverty to ensure long-lasting and healthy lives.
The health needs in Plaine du Nord are great - with a variety of preventable and treatable diseases such as AIDS, cholera, typhoid, malaria, chikungunya and cancers. Currently, the sick undertake an expensive, dangerous and pounding journey on poorly constructed roads to distant hospitals to receive care. As a result, many go untreated and suffer unnecessarily.
The health problems in Haiti are real. Infant mortality remains high at 56 deaths per 1,000 births. Maternal mortality rate is 630 deaths per 10,000 births. This is the highest rate of infant, under-five, and maternal mortality in the Western Hemisphere.
The hospital will provide health services for the following communities: Plaine-Du-Nord, Morne Rouge, the city of the Acul-Du-Nord, Grisongarde, Grand Ravine, Coup a David, Mornet, La bruyère, Camp Louise, Robillard, and Soufriere. It will provide access to specialized health services, particularly for children under five years old and young mothers. This hospital will also support the community to farm healthy foods and improve food security for surrounding communities.
We are Dlo Geri (Creole for Healing Water), formed to help HMBN with the drinking water and wastewater treatment needs of the hospital. We are a group of water professionals from New Jersey and engineering students from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey.
Our Need: In Phase 1 of this sustainable design project, we will be conducting an assessment trip in January 2016 to understand the community water needs, educate them about this work, to meet with the community leaders, and to conduct a series of engineering activities (pumping tests, water quality testing, siting) for the water and wastewater system for the hospital. We are seeking your support to help pay for the 8-day trip including supplies for the team, airfare, food, shelter, and local travel. Our three main goals in Phase 1 are:
1. Understand community needs and engage them in the hospital project.
2. Assess waterquality and quantity.
3. Form the basis of design for the water and wastewater facilities.
Every penny you help us raise will go toward this project. For updates on the project follow us on twitter @dlogeri and facebook.
Our goal is simple, to provide a sustainably designed drinking water and wastewater treatment system for the hospital.
Be part of a life changing movement to help the people of the Plaine Du Nord region thrive.
Our Dlo Geri Team Includes:
Albert J. Capuzzi, P.E.
Bonjou! My name is A.J. Capuzzi. Hooked on water and hooked on Haiti, I am a graduate of Villanova University and Seton Hall University, a professional engineer and a water practice leader at Jacobs Engineering Group. I have spent most of my 24 year career in water.
I traveled to Haiti in December 2007 to help with a water project for an orphanage and elderly home. Despite being stunned by the level of poverty, environmental degradation and poor drinking water quality, I was attracted to the strange and beautiful landscape and the joy-filled people, who, despite their dire conditions, press on. Over the last seven years, I implemented and monitored a new drinking water system.
During one of my many visits, I was introduced to Dr. Eugene Maklin and learned about his heart for Haiti and this revolutionary hospital project.
Jessica Kretch
Hey I'm Jessica! I am an environmental engineer working for CDM Smith and I obtained my masters in environmental engineering from University of California, Berkeley and my undergrad in civil and environmental engineering from Rutgers. I fell in love with water projects during my freshman year at Rutgers when I traveled to Thailand for a water purification project through Engineers Without Borders (EWB).
My eyes felt as though they had been opened for the first time. The need was overwhelming and I have made it my life's dream to change this. I continued with the Thailand project as project leader and went on to conduct research on water projects in developing countries while at Berkeley. Working on the Dlo Geri
team and on this amazing project is one more step in making this dream a reality.
Shivangi Ganatra
I graduated from Rutgers University this past May with a major in civil and environmental engineering and currently work for theNew Jersey Department of Transporation (NJDOT). I chose to pursue engineering upon learning about EWB, and my involvement with the Rutgers University chapter shaped my undergraduate years.
I got involved with a water supply project for a small rural community in Guatemala. I served as project lead during my junior year and then as president of the EWB chapter during my senior year. The idea of partnering with developing communities to help people meet basic needs inspired me and changed the way I understood the profession of engineering. I knew I wanted to continue that type of work, and was excited to learn about the construction of the Haiti Mission Branche Nord Hospital and the opportunity to get involved with a part of the effort.
Nicole Del Monaco
I am currently a graduate student at Rutgers University studying civil and environmental engineering. During my undergraduate years at Rutgers, I was involved with a water supply project in a rural community in Guatemala through EWB. I started as the project translator and then became project lead during my senior year. I was fortunate enough to have traveled to the community twice, learning and growing through each experience.
I loved my involvement with EWB; prior to joining, I never really understood how powerful engineering could be. Seeing first-hand our collaborative efforts with the community showedme how many lives were improved by this and many similar projects taking place all over the world. When I heard about the Dlo Geri hospital project, I jumped on the opportunity to help out in any way I can.
Nimah Ahmed
I am currently an undergraduate student at Rutgers University studying civil and environmental engineering. I chose environmental engineering because I wanted a career that I would not only find personally rewarding but would also giveme the ability to give back to communities around the world and help areas in need. My experience with EWB has shown me just how much of an impact a few good-willed and determined people can have on the lives of an entire community, and has shaped both career and personal goals for my future.
When I heard about Dr. Maklin and his dream to build a hospital, I immediately wanted to get involved with the project. As we continue to learn about the dire living conditions in Haiti, including the recent cholera outbreaks, the Dlo Geri team is even more passionate and determined to help build this hospital.
Evan Lutz
I am currently a sophomore at Rutgers University studying bio-environmental engineering. I have always been very aware of the environmental degradation around my town in Kinnelon, New Jersey. From watching the fish population in my local reservoir plummet to seeing the trees on nearby mountains shaved off for commercial purposes, I have never seen myself working for another cause but the earth. I have convinced myself that with the right amount of education and passion that I will be able to clean some of the mess humanity has made. I am currently a member of the Environmental Awareness Club helping push for more on campus sustainable practices, and I am also a contributing member for an Engineering Without Borders project in Kenya where we have been exploring the best methods for delivering water to local tribes in need.
As soon as I heard the members of Dlo Geri explain their project I was hooked. I understood immediately that the amount of work needed to put this project together was well worth the humanitarian and environmental satisfaction we will hopefully get in the end.
Francesca Chery
I am a senior at Rutgers University studying biomedical engineering and packaging engineering. When I recently learned about the Dlo Geri project, I was excited and felt like it was a great opportunity that I couldn't pass up. As a Haitian-American, I feel blessed to have easy access to clean water and many opportunities which many Haitian natives lack. As a result, I would like to give back to the members of the community in any way that I can to make a difference whether big or small.
Frank Getchell
Hello, I’m a hydrogeologist with Leggette, Brashears & Graham, who enjoys nothing more than helping others develop clean water supplies from beneath the earth’s surface – a modern day practitioner of Moses’ technique of getting water from a rock. My 30 plus years of locating and helping to develop groundwater supplies since graduating from the University of Scranton and Syracuse University have taught me that clean water is one of the most valuable and under-appreciated resources on the planet. I had the privilege of joining A.J. in 2007 working on the water supply wells for an orphanage and elderly home in Haiti, and look forward to working on another groundwater supply project with him and the rest of the dedicated Dlo Geri team to help Dr. Maklin and his hospital project make a difference for the people of Haiti.
The health needs in Plaine du Nord are great - with a variety of preventable and treatable diseases such as AIDS, cholera, typhoid, malaria, chikungunya and cancers. Currently, the sick undertake an expensive, dangerous and pounding journey on poorly constructed roads to distant hospitals to receive care. As a result, many go untreated and suffer unnecessarily.
The health problems in Haiti are real. Infant mortality remains high at 56 deaths per 1,000 births. Maternal mortality rate is 630 deaths per 10,000 births. This is the highest rate of infant, under-five, and maternal mortality in the Western Hemisphere.
The hospital will provide health services for the following communities: Plaine-Du-Nord, Morne Rouge, the city of the Acul-Du-Nord, Grisongarde, Grand Ravine, Coup a David, Mornet, La bruyère, Camp Louise, Robillard, and Soufriere. It will provide access to specialized health services, particularly for children under five years old and young mothers. This hospital will also support the community to farm healthy foods and improve food security for surrounding communities.
We are Dlo Geri (Creole for Healing Water), formed to help HMBN with the drinking water and wastewater treatment needs of the hospital. We are a group of water professionals from New Jersey and engineering students from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey.
Our Need: In Phase 1 of this sustainable design project, we will be conducting an assessment trip in January 2016 to understand the community water needs, educate them about this work, to meet with the community leaders, and to conduct a series of engineering activities (pumping tests, water quality testing, siting) for the water and wastewater system for the hospital. We are seeking your support to help pay for the 8-day trip including supplies for the team, airfare, food, shelter, and local travel. Our three main goals in Phase 1 are:
1. Understand community needs and engage them in the hospital project.
2. Assess waterquality and quantity.
3. Form the basis of design for the water and wastewater facilities.
Every penny you help us raise will go toward this project. For updates on the project follow us on twitter @dlogeri and facebook.
Our goal is simple, to provide a sustainably designed drinking water and wastewater treatment system for the hospital.
Be part of a life changing movement to help the people of the Plaine Du Nord region thrive.
Our Dlo Geri Team Includes:
Albert J. Capuzzi, P.E.
Bonjou! My name is A.J. Capuzzi. Hooked on water and hooked on Haiti, I am a graduate of Villanova University and Seton Hall University, a professional engineer and a water practice leader at Jacobs Engineering Group. I have spent most of my 24 year career in water. I traveled to Haiti in December 2007 to help with a water project for an orphanage and elderly home. Despite being stunned by the level of poverty, environmental degradation and poor drinking water quality, I was attracted to the strange and beautiful landscape and the joy-filled people, who, despite their dire conditions, press on. Over the last seven years, I implemented and monitored a new drinking water system.
During one of my many visits, I was introduced to Dr. Eugene Maklin and learned about his heart for Haiti and this revolutionary hospital project.
Jessica Kretch
Hey I'm Jessica! I am an environmental engineer working for CDM Smith and I obtained my masters in environmental engineering from University of California, Berkeley and my undergrad in civil and environmental engineering from Rutgers. I fell in love with water projects during my freshman year at Rutgers when I traveled to Thailand for a water purification project through Engineers Without Borders (EWB). My eyes felt as though they had been opened for the first time. The need was overwhelming and I have made it my life's dream to change this. I continued with the Thailand project as project leader and went on to conduct research on water projects in developing countries while at Berkeley. Working on the Dlo Geri
team and on this amazing project is one more step in making this dream a reality.
Shivangi Ganatra
I graduated from Rutgers University this past May with a major in civil and environmental engineering and currently work for theNew Jersey Department of Transporation (NJDOT). I chose to pursue engineering upon learning about EWB, and my involvement with the Rutgers University chapter shaped my undergraduate years. I got involved with a water supply project for a small rural community in Guatemala. I served as project lead during my junior year and then as president of the EWB chapter during my senior year. The idea of partnering with developing communities to help people meet basic needs inspired me and changed the way I understood the profession of engineering. I knew I wanted to continue that type of work, and was excited to learn about the construction of the Haiti Mission Branche Nord Hospital and the opportunity to get involved with a part of the effort.
Nicole Del Monaco
I am currently a graduate student at Rutgers University studying civil and environmental engineering. During my undergraduate years at Rutgers, I was involved with a water supply project in a rural community in Guatemala through EWB. I started as the project translator and then became project lead during my senior year. I was fortunate enough to have traveled to the community twice, learning and growing through each experience. I loved my involvement with EWB; prior to joining, I never really understood how powerful engineering could be. Seeing first-hand our collaborative efforts with the community showedme how many lives were improved by this and many similar projects taking place all over the world. When I heard about the Dlo Geri hospital project, I jumped on the opportunity to help out in any way I can.
Nimah Ahmed
I am currently an undergraduate student at Rutgers University studying civil and environmental engineering. I chose environmental engineering because I wanted a career that I would not only find personally rewarding but would also giveme the ability to give back to communities around the world and help areas in need. My experience with EWB has shown me just how much of an impact a few good-willed and determined people can have on the lives of an entire community, and has shaped both career and personal goals for my future.
When I heard about Dr. Maklin and his dream to build a hospital, I immediately wanted to get involved with the project. As we continue to learn about the dire living conditions in Haiti, including the recent cholera outbreaks, the Dlo Geri team is even more passionate and determined to help build this hospital.
Evan Lutz
I am currently a sophomore at Rutgers University studying bio-environmental engineering. I have always been very aware of the environmental degradation around my town in Kinnelon, New Jersey. From watching the fish population in my local reservoir plummet to seeing the trees on nearby mountains shaved off for commercial purposes, I have never seen myself working for another cause but the earth. I have convinced myself that with the right amount of education and passion that I will be able to clean some of the mess humanity has made. I am currently a member of the Environmental Awareness Club helping push for more on campus sustainable practices, and I am also a contributing member for an Engineering Without Borders project in Kenya where we have been exploring the best methods for delivering water to local tribes in need.
As soon as I heard the members of Dlo Geri explain their project I was hooked. I understood immediately that the amount of work needed to put this project together was well worth the humanitarian and environmental satisfaction we will hopefully get in the end.
Francesca Chery
I am a senior at Rutgers University studying biomedical engineering and packaging engineering. When I recently learned about the Dlo Geri project, I was excited and felt like it was a great opportunity that I couldn't pass up. As a Haitian-American, I feel blessed to have easy access to clean water and many opportunities which many Haitian natives lack. As a result, I would like to give back to the members of the community in any way that I can to make a difference whether big or small.
Frank Getchell
Hello, I’m a hydrogeologist with Leggette, Brashears & Graham, who enjoys nothing more than helping others develop clean water supplies from beneath the earth’s surface – a modern day practitioner of Moses’ technique of getting water from a rock. My 30 plus years of locating and helping to develop groundwater supplies since graduating from the University of Scranton and Syracuse University have taught me that clean water is one of the most valuable and under-appreciated resources on the planet. I had the privilege of joining A.J. in 2007 working on the water supply wells for an orphanage and elderly home in Haiti, and look forward to working on another groundwater supply project with him and the rest of the dedicated Dlo Geri team to help Dr. Maklin and his hospital project make a difference for the people of Haiti.