Design Outreach Inc

Another major focus for DO in 2024 was the development and deployment of the organization's water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) solutions, including LifePumpTM and MaxLifeTM. DO's flagship technology, LifePump, has been installed in 12 countries, bringing safe and reliable water to over 400,000 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 LifePump remains a core focus, DO is also in the process of developing a hand pump upgrade kit that will help extend the life of commonly used hand pumps including the Afridev and India Mark II and III. Known as the MaxLifeTM Program, these kits are on their way to revolutionizing the way the world accesses water. The MaxLife centralizer, the first upgrade component ready for widespread rollout, addresses the root cause of up to 75% of Afridev pump failures. Because of its critical role in improving pump performance, DO has prioritized its development and release. Certain pumps in the pilot worked for only 2 weeks before needing major repairs, but now, with the MaxLife centralizer, they have been operating for over a year without any major repairs. These results are gaining the attention of the national Ministry of Water and many NGOs in Malawi who are looking for solutions to help prevent pump downtime. In 2024, a total of 210 upgrade kits were installed, impacting 52,500 people with sustainable access to safe water and bringing the total number of upgrades to 218. These efforts were all part of DO's 3-year Beyond Measure campaign aimed at delivering life-sustaining solutions of immeasurable global impact.

Another major program area is DO's Engineering Solutions efforts. Behind the scenes, DO engineers continue to design and develop breakthrough innovations that provide the resources communities need to thrive. As DO works toward its goals of delivering innovative solutions to end extreme poverty, the 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 2024, 73 new LifePumps were installed, bringing the total to 492 across 12 countries, providing clean water to 375,400 people. LifePump continues to be a game changer for remote communities where the water is at significant depths, making it difficult for other pump technologies to reliably access water. LifePumpLinkTM. DO's remote monitoring technology helps ensure that LifePump communities never experience a day without water. In August 2024, LifePumps equipped with LifePumpLink surpassed 1,000,000 hours of usage tracked since monitoring began in 2018, and they were being used at a rate of 500,000 hours per year. LifeTapTM. LifeTap, DO's reliable and robust self-closing valve, is providing water from tap stands in 7 countries, including at Malawi's Dzaleka Refugee Camp, home to 52,000 refugees who have fled war and genocide in neighboring nations. The camp faces overpopulation and has significant water needs, and LifeTap has proven to be a critical component in meeting these needs reliably. By the end of 2024, 362 LifeTaps had been sold or donated, impacting 21,720 people. 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. Field reports from 2024 have been extremely positive. Following visits to LifeLatrine demonstration sites in Lilongwe, Dowa, and Salima, it was reported that the PVC-lined pit latrines were suitable for all soil types, reducing structural failure. The plastic sanitation platform was easy to clean and well-received, and community members appreciated the user-friendly and odorless designs. LifeLatrine was deemed suitable for households, health facilities, schools, and offices. MaxLifeTM. Launched in 2022, DO's MaxLife Program 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 and III. In 2024, field testing was conducted at Dzaleka Refugee Camp in conjunction with WeltHungerHilfe (WHH). Two Afridev pumps at Dzaleka Refugee Camp were fitted with MaxLife centralizers, the first and most critical component of the upgrade kit. Since the installation of the new centralizers, the Afridev pumps went from breaking down every month to going more than six months without replacing these parts, even in this high-use scenario. Feedback from government officials on the new centralizer as part of the MaxLife Upgrade Kits has been extremely positive. At the end of the year, Afridev MaxLife Upgrade Kits had been installed on 218 Afridev hand pumps, improving water access and stability for more than 54,500 people. Wound Therapy Device. In 2024, DO Medical formed two impactful new partnerships that have provided essential feedback and insights for the development of the negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) device. A new partnership with Kapsowar Mission Hospital in Kenya allowed us to expand our reach and gain valuable information by testing the device in an environment that is different than Malawi. Kenya also has a higher, more regulated standard of entry, so being able to operate there will better prepare DO as the organization continues to move forward to finalize the device, attain FDA approval, and get the device to where it is needed around the world.