Kicking off 2022 with work on GESA’s Equipment Exchange

Departments and communities across the Global South struggle to get the equipment they need. Budgets are tight, procurements can be slow and inefficient, and the process for getting donated gear can take years. At the same time, the process for donating departments can be costly and time consuming. But there is great opportunity to change that dynamic at scale if we can link suppliers, consultants, donor departments and recipients online.

As our flagship project for 2022, GESA is developing our new Equipment Exchange – an online platform that will work to efficiently link batches of donated, recycled and new Emergency Services equipment with under-resourced departments in the Global South, and help build a more sustainable, global pipeline of sales and service.

The idea for the platform grew from conversations with GESA’s Board and our Global South Advisory Council (AC) – sector leaders from more than a dozen countries. Both suppliers and local experts described the need to combine equipment with templates and tools for donors, to better make the connection so recycled/retired/new gear in the North can meet growing demand in the South.

As we build the platform, we want to learn from you! Please take our brief, 5-minute survey (available in English, Spanish, French and German), to help us understand your biggest challenges in the current supplier-donor-recipient process, and the kinds of problems you would like the Exchange to focus on most. Through the Exchange, GESA is working to get the right equipment where it is needed most and open new market opportunities. Thank you for your help!