DESIGN OUTREACH INC
Programs
LifePump Water Access Initiative
Design Outreach (DO) is a Christian nonprofit organization that seeks to alleviate global poverty by creating innovative, life-sustaining solutions that help transform marginalized and low-income communities physically, economically, and spiritually. As a team of engineers with diverse experience and areas of expertise, DO focuses on innovative products that improve the lives of the most marginalized and vulnerable people living in developing countries. DO's flagship technology, LifePumpTM, has been installed in 12 countries, bringing safe and reliable water to nearly 300,000 people globally. The first permanent LifePump was installed in 2013 and has been operating since then with zero days of downtime. LifePump is designed to operate deeper in the ground and last longer than traditional hand pumps, providing safe and reliable water access in communities where other technologies have been unable to meet their needs. While DO is working to develop and deploy other appropriate technologies for developing countries in sectors such as WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) and medical devices, LifePump has remained the organization's core focus as national governments have begun to recognize its potential to help address water poverty in rural communities.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2023 – Dec 31, 2023Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$456.2KMalawi and Zambia Field Offices
Another key program DO focused on in 2023 was the further establishment of our Malawi and Zambia Field Offices as well as launching sister organization Design Outreach UK (DOUK). The purpose of this significant global expansion is to support DO's growing operations and to expand our partnership, manufacturing, and fundraising opportunities. The Malawi and Zambia field offices allow DO to be more available to meet with missionaries, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), community leaders, and government officials to work toward policy change, Gospel outreach, and appropriate technology implementation that will have generational impact in the communities where we work. The Malawi Field Office, in particular, also acts as an advocacy hub and field innovation center while providing warehouse space for LifePumps and spare parts and supporting rapid response teams to keep LifePumps up and running for decades to come. The number of LifePump installations is expanding each year - growth that would not be possible without the support and availability of local field staff who can lead installations, organize Gospel outreach events, distribute Christian literature, provide training for community and government leaders, and respond quickly to technology maintenance needs. As governments continue to recognize LifePump as a game-changer in the water sector, our field offices enable DO to continue building its supply chain and provide more LifePumps than ever before in communities that are in desperate need of safe water. Furthermore, our local field offices have allowed us to meet additional needs such as disaster relief. In 2023, Cyclone Freddy, one of the deadliest tropical systems in the Southern Hemisphere, devastated Malawi. It brought with it torrential rainfall that caused catastrophic flooding and crippled the nation's power grid. Entire communities were swept away, and thousands of people were left homeless, hungry, and without hope. In response, we reached more than 2,000 people with supplies such as basins, chlorine, temporary toilets, female hygiene kits, handwashing stations, and soap. We also distributed 2,645 pounds of maize flour, 7,936 pounds of beans, 1,322 pounds of salt, 158 gallons of cooking oil, 110 Bibles, and 200 Bible storybooks. None of this would have been possible without our local field staff and in-country operations.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2023 – Dec 31, 2023Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$1.4MLifePump Engineering Innovations
Behind the scenes, DO engineers continue to design and develop breakthrough innovations that provide the resources communities need to thrive. As part of this program, DO has a large volunteer base that consists of highly skilled professional engineers who contributed the equivalent of $1,508,236 in pro bono time and labor in 2023. As we work toward our goal of installing 1,000 LifePumps in the next few years to impact hundreds of thousands more people with safe water and the Gospel, our engineering team continues to develop new and innovative ways to give those living in poverty hope, dignity, and the possibility of a better life. LifePumpTM: In 2023, DO installed 98 LifePumps in Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania, Senegal, and Kenya, impacting more than 105,000 people. In addition, 90 LifePumps were shipped, with 50 more built and prepared for shipment. Of the LifePumps that are equipped with our remote monitor LifePumpLink technology, community members used the pumps for an average of 4.9 hours per day, pumping approximately 40 million gallons of clean water throughout the year. 2023 also marked the 10-year anniversary of our first permanent LifePump installation in Zolomondo, Malawi. Over the past decade, this community has never experienced a single day without water. The result is an entire generation of children who have never lived without safe water. In the meantime, LifePumpLink continues to demonstrate 99% functionality - proof that LifePump truly is changing the status quo. LifePumpLinkTM: Our remote monitoring technology helps ensure that LifePump communities never experience a day without water. In 2023, our engineering team achieved significant breakthroughs in LifePumpLink capabilities. Our team, in collaboration with generous partners, has made dramatic software improvements to the mobile app that supports LifePumpLink, adding capabilities that will streamline reporting and tracking for our field staff. Some of these updates include a new and improved maintenance module, future site planning capabilities, and inventory management features - all of which will improve our field staff's ability to meet the critical needs of a growing number of LifePump communities. Prior to the developments achieved in 2023, the field staff were filing paper notes and documentation, a cumbersome and inefficient process. In addition to these important developments, our engineering team's tireless work in 2023 has led to the official launch of a real-time LifePump data dashboard accessible to the public. LifeTapTM: LifeTap, DO's reliable and robust self-closing valve, is providing water from tap stands in 5 countries, including at Dzaleka Refugee Camp, located in the hills of Dowa District, Malawi, about 25 miles northeast of the country's capital city of Lilongwe. Home to 52,000 refugees who have fled war and genocide in neighboring nations, the camp faces overpopulation and has significant water needs. When we discovered that some of the camp's LifeTaps were not meeting our standards for operation, our team immediately got to work. In 2023, our engineers worked tirelessly to design a new LifeTap version that could withstand the high water pressures experienced at Dzaleka's tap stands. Working closely with the nonprofit that helps manage the camp, our team field tested the new prototypes, which were so successful that our partner ordered 60 more units to be used at water kiosks throughout the camp. LifeLatrineTM: LifeLatrine addresses sanitation and hygiene challenges facing rural communities in developing countries by providing an affordable, reliable, and safe latrine option that helps to eliminate disease, prevent dangerous pit wall collapse, and give families their dignity back. In 2023, our team selected a lead design concept for the next version of LifeLatrine, which was installed for field testing in Malawi. This latest version of LifeLatrine includes design adjustments that will use less plastic and make the latrine feel more safe, secure, and sturdy. In one of the communities that received the latest LifeLatrine prototype, the local women were so excited about it that they worked together to dig the pit entirely on their own in a single day. Currently, three LifeLatrine prototypes are being field tested in Malawi, with three more waiting to be installed. Hand Pump Upgrade Project: Launched in 2022, the Design Outreach Hand Pump Upgrade Project aims to solve the problem of frequent breakdowns and lead contamination for the 2 billion people who rely on traditional public-domain hand pumps such as Afridev and India Mark II (IMII). Design Outreach has brought together experts and leaders from around the globe to help solve this critical problem. In 2023, after forming the Core Project Team and Advisor Team with representation from six countries, many nongovernmental organizations, and government entities, we collaborated with key partners across Malawi and Uganda to identify, develop, and field test new and updated components that will be a part of the upgrade kit. While we believe that LifePump, which has a lifespan of 30 years or more, is the ultimate solution, we don't want to see anyone left behind. For those communities that don't yet have access to LifePump, a more reliable Afridev or IMII pump would dramatically change their lives. Wound Therapy Device: In 2023, the DO Medical team made breakthroughs in the design of the negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) device, which will provide an affordable, reliable, and electricity-free option for treating wounds that take far too many lives in developing countries. In a single year, engineers developed a working design concept, built a proof-of-concept prototype, and completed a feasibility study on healthy subjects in collaboration with a key partner in Malawi. The goal of the feasibility study was to observe how users interact with the device and gather their feedback. As part of the study, the engineering team connected the device to dressings on mock patients without wounds and allowed the medical team to interact with the prototype device with minimal instruction to collect information on usability. The team also captured pressure data, the main benchmark of functionality. Feedback from physicians, nurses, and medical technicians using the device was so positive that they indicated they would immediately request 25 to 30 units. The feasibility study was also a critical step in the FDA-approval process.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2023 – Dec 31, 2023Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$479.7K
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