African project
Care Collection
Super Local, a design studio that finds sustainable solutions for social and
cultural problems, is using their design acumen to affect change in Malawian
healthcare.
T
he latest design initiative from Super Local is a set of hospital products
made in Malawi. Malawi is home to a slow manufacturing industry, so
businesses and institutions such as hospitals rely on costly imports for the
equipment they need. Because the imports are expensive, hospitals often
have to work with dilapidated equipment or just do without. Super local saw
an opportunity here, following their philosophy of working with a humancentered approach, supporting the local economy, finding solutions in the
country itself, creating employment and encouraging entrepreneurship.
In collaboration with the craftsmen at Sakaramenta, Super Local has
developed a collection of hospital products called the care collection. The collection
includes products such as hospital beds, theatre stools, surgical tables and trolleys, room
dividers, drip stands, over-bed tables and laundry trolleys.
They are all manufactured with locally available materials and techniques. This
production method decreases the cost of equipment on Malawian hospitals, giving them
the opportunity to purchase affordable high-quality products that are guaranteed. The
complete ‘care collection’ has been completely developed and Super Local have received
their first orders and are now ready to start the production. AD