Proximity Designs

www.proximitydesigns.org

Social Entrepreneur

Jim Taylor and Debbie Aung Din

Founded

2004

MISSION

To move rural Burmese families out of poverty.

BUSINESS MODEL

Design, build and market affordable products and services that boost household productivity and therefore incomes for vulnerable, rural families in Myanmar.  PD supports a supply-chain ecosystem with private sector partners supplying products at a profit while philanthropic grants are used to develop new products, deepen penetration in existing markets and enter new markets.

Where they work

Myanmar.

Annual budget

US$2 million FY11 (Dec11).

Delivered to date

80,035 irrigation products sold to 68,030 rural households covering 85% of the rural population.

Impact

US$225 in additional annual household income.

big plans

To serve 240,000 new farm families and provide off-grid solar lighting to 250,000 households over the next 5 years.

Our investment so far

US$200k in unrestricted grants.

Photo
James and Debbie Aung Din Taylor are the co-founders and country directors of Proximity Designs.
Photo
Proximity markets 10 income boosting products including this all plastic pump delivering the same amount of water as a metal pump but at half the cost.