WE CARE Solar + frog: Improving Conditions in African Medical Clinics

At frog we work with a diverse array of global fortune 100 companies on many of their most challenging, connected and convergent problems. Last Friday we had the opportunity to work on a problem of higher importance, conditions in African medical clinics with Berkeley based WE CARE Solar.

WE CARE was co-founded by Laura Stachel, an OB/GYN who traveled to Africa to study ways to reduce maternal mortality during childbirth. Laura found that the facilities were lacking in the most basic essentials needed to practice modern medicine like electricity, lighting, and running water. WE CARE was founded by Laura and Hal Aronson, an expert in solar power, in order to address some of these issues by bringing low cost DC power generated by portable solar panels to these clinics. Their first hospital deployment in Nigeria in 2009 was a completely custom solution providing power for the maternity ward, labor room, operating room, and laboratory, to support a blood bank refrigerator. Realizing the widespread need throughout the continent, WE CARE developed a relatively plug-and-play product called the "Solar Suitcase" which they have begun shipping to various locations in Africa, Asia and Haiti. These systems are designed to be user-friendly, robust, durable, and nearly maintenance-free. They can be easily installed in existing hospitals and clinics that have unreliable or problematic power systems.

David Merkoski, former frog executive creative director, connected us with the WE CARE team when he learned they were looking for a design partner to help them perfect the Solar Suitcase for their current work in Nigeria. We had our first collaborative design session last Friday focusing on how to better pack the case and explain how to install and use the system. We also looked at specific design and engineering details such as mounting the portable solar panels on a diverse array of clinic architecture and mounting lighting within clinics. We ended the day by stepping back to envision what kinds of products and services WE CARE could develop and support in the future.

above, from left to right: Steve Selzer (frog), Suelyn Yu (frog), Remy Labesque (frog), Rachel Yanda (WE CARE), Laura Stachel (WE CARE), Hal Aronson (WE CARE), Rayna Wiles (frog), Brent Moellenberg (WE CARE), David Merkkoski, and Michael DiTullo (frog)

At frog, we hone our skills on so many client projects, it is easy for us to take for granted that we can help with a few hours of hard work and an objective point of view. We are looking forward to continuing to collaborate with WE CARE and seeing the results in action in the field. I want to thank the team of frogs who volunteered their time: Cormac Eubanks, Steve Selzer, Remy Labesque, Rayna Wiles and Suelyn Yu, and thank David Merkoski for connecting all of us and joining in the fun.

Be sure to check out the details about We CARE's work on their site HERE.

concept sketches exploring various mounting options

Rayna visually recording a brainstorming exercise

Cormac explaining various light mounting options

Remy sketching a concept

As a Creative Director at frog, Michael DiTullo has designed products for a wide array of industries including housewares, consumer electronics, automotive, medical robotics, fashion and performance footwear. Michael is also a weekly contributor to Core77, a global design magazine and resource. You can follow Michael on Twitter @michael_ditullo.