This document describes the work of dots in blue water, a nonprofit organization started by science teacher Michael Baer that installs water purification systems in Haiti. It details how the organization was formed in response to hurricanes in 2008, and how students have since traveled to Haiti multiple times to install purification units. These units provide clean water to villages and schools, helping to prevent water-borne illnesses. The document outlines dots in blue water's expansion to include portable family purification systems and their ongoing work with communities in Haiti.

1. Companies With A Mission
Super Service Project
dots in blue water
Mr. Michael Baer
South Adams High School, Berne, IN

2. Hurricane Fay, Gustav, and Hanna hit Haiti (2008)
A friend of mine, Pastor Pierre,
taught at a small school of mostly HIVorphans at the time of the hurricanes.

3. When the 9-foot floodwaters swept through the
village, children and some local families escaped the
floods by climbing onto the roof of the school.
Three days passed, no rescue.
Hungry, thirsty children simply dropped
into the waters, having lost all hope.

4. A seven year old explained to her mother how
she imagined all of those who had drowned in
the hurricane flood waters:
“Lots and lots of dots, in blue water.”

5. My students suggested substituting their
science labs for a project-based learning
experience that would allow them to
develop, test, and assemble water
purification units to help those in need.

6. By the end of the 2010-2011 school
year, dots in blue water had
become a corporation-wide, K-12
learning-across-the-curriculum
project, ready to deliver and install
five complete, student-developed
water purification systems to Haiti.

7. The village-sized system was powered
by car batteries, recharged by solar
panels, and can chlorinate impure
drinking water to drinkability.

8. I am the science teacher
whose classes made that
commitment to help
Haiti with clean water.
I have been directing
dots in blue water ever
since, and am currently
preparing for my 5th and 6th
trips there.

9. dots in blue water 2011 –
Chambrun, Haiti
One week.
8 high school students and 8 of their teachers.
―Making a World of Difference‖

10. One purifier was installed in the village of Chambrun.
An additional purifier was installed on the roof of the
school that had experienced the major flooding in
2008.
A third and fourth purifier were installed in Port-AuPrince at a school and nursing home.
The fifth….

11. Cholera Outbreak - Bouzi
On Wednesday of our trip, the school headmaster received
an urgent e-mail from the remote mountain village of
Bouzi. A cholera outbreak had occurred and was
threatening to wipe out an entire village of 1,500 people.
In just two days, there had been 300 cholera cases, and
five deaths.
A UNICEF clinic had been airlifted
in,
but they needed
medicines,
or clean water…

12. Cholera Outbreak - Bouzi
dots in blue water responded, renting 4WD Land Rovers
and delivering our first-ever three-tank system.
Within a week of installing our fifth purifier, there had
been no additional new cases or deaths reported.

13. Since June of 2011, the school has focused on annual
return trips, monitoring use of the purifiers, training
local villagers in sanitation and hygiene, as well as
researching and developing systems that rely on
sustainable wind energy and improved solar energy
technology.
dots in blue water has received several honors, including
recognition by the Indiana State General Assembly, as
well as other local, state, and national organizations.

14. But this was not the end for
dots in blue water….

15. Summer 2012
12 students
8 teachers
Returned to Haiti to assess work done the previous
summer. After discovering that three of the five purifiers
were being regularly utilized, we re-evaluated how we
could best use our available water purification resources.

16. Five-Gallon (Family) Bucket
Purifiers - Onaville
Onaville is an IDP (internally displaced persons)
camp, located outside of Port au Prince that resulting
after the earthquake of 2010. It is currently home to
nearly five hundred thousand people.
We partnered with GAIN USA, distributing bucket purifier
systems to 36 Onaville families.
Provided training in basic hygiene and sanitary food
preparation.

17. San Luis du Nord – Ebenezer
Evangelical Mission
Mr. Baer and another high school teacher spent an extra
week scouting future sites for projects and assisting a
medical mission in the coastal city of St Luis du Nord
(population 12,000)
Mr. Baer and Mr. Lehman
assisted in a medical
clinic, where they saw over 700
patients suffering from waterrelated illnesses
(malaria, parasites, worms, dys
entery) – ALL PREVENTABLE.

18. Summer 2013 – St. Luis du Nord
15 students
10 teachers
Traveled to St. Luis du Nord, Haiti to Ebenezer Evangelical
Mission on Haiti’s north coast.

19. Ebenezer Evangelical Mission
EEM is operated by Larry and Linda Ralph from
Martinsville, IN. While Larry and Linda are in the
States, ―the Seven Brothers‖ care for the mission, the
church, and on-site school of 360 students grades K-6.

20. EEM Purifier
dots in blue water replaced
and installed a 1,200
gallon, two-tank purifier on
top of the EEM roof. This
provides clean water to the
entire mission.

22. Roche Rond – Family-Sized
Purifiers
The team hiked five miles up the mountain to the
remote village of Roche Rond, and distributed
over 50 bucket purifiers.

23. Distribution in Roche Rond
Using
translators, the
team trained the
families how to use
the family bucket
purifiers. The
training covered
operation and
sanitation.

24. This is the 2013 team our school sent to Haiti, posing with
seven young men ―The Seven Brothers‖ who were rescued
off the streets as school children and now serve as our
facilitators and translators.

25. LOOKING AHEAD: Summer 2014
During the summer of 2014
and beyond, we will continue
returning to St. Luis du Nord
focusing on water
purification and establishing
an ongoing partnership with
the school by providing
on-site teacher
training, classroom
resources, and computers
and technology for the
classrooms.

26. Super Service Challenge
Should dots in blue water receive a portion of the
Super Service Challenge, they would use the funds to
help purchase materials to research and develop
improved water purifier—including sustainable
solar and wind technology—and purchase school
resources and equipment for the EEM school.

27. THANK YOU
for helping
dots in blue water
continue
Making a World of
Difference!