what3words is a global addressing system. It has divided the world into a grid of 57 trillion 3m x 3m squares and assigned each one a unique 3 word address.

what3words provides a precise and incredibly simple way to talk about location and it means everyone and everywhere now has an address.

We developed a mobile sign production system that can find a word address with no data connection, prints permanent signs using local materials and languages, and can be replicated across the world.

The mobile unit has a staff of 2 people. The first helps the client find their 3 word address using a mobile phone or tablet. The what3words app works offline so no data isn’t an issue, it just needs a GPS signal.

They data capture the 3 word address with the relevant client information.

The 3 word address goes to the CNC machine operator who pops a blank into the machine, inserts the new ///word.word.word and prints the sign.

The signs have 2 drilled holes so they can be fixed to walls or doors easily.

The sign is handed over right away or stored for later delivery.

The project ran for a week in South Africa and several hundred of 3 word address signs were created and distributed.

By linking the what3words mobile app with a CNC router that can travel easily to remote locations we have given these women a highly visible and permanent home address to help local Emergency Services reduce the 50% proportion of home births.

This is just the start since poor addressing effects 70% of the world.

Local sponsors have committed to giving 11,000 homes in the area their 3 word address sign, creating jobs for unemployed youth to facilitate the implementation.

Tribal leaders have given their full support to Gateway Health which is fundamental to the success of any health NGO in South Africa.

Gateway Health Institute are an NGO who are funded by the Gates Foundation. Their programs have a positive impact on the health and rights of hard to reach and vulnerable populations through advocacy, community empowerment projects, knowledge management, research and innovative technology.

This project tested technologies and behaviour change that gives pregnant women in one of the poorest and hard to navigate parts of South Africa access to basic health care. By working with Emergency Services, tribal and community leaders and the public, a new addressing system is taking root that directly effects the health of these people and their children.

In KwaNdengezi, South Africa, 50% of births happen at home compared to 2.3% in the UK. In South Africa, 1,500 women die in childbirth because they don't reach the hospital in time and 34,000 babies don't arrive at a hospital in time.

This is because emergency response are unable to find pregnant women in need of help because of bad addressing.

Around 75% of the world (135 countries) suffers from inconsistent, complicated, or inadequate addressing systems. Around 4 billion people are basically invisible because they have no way to communicate where they live.

Gateway Health Institute are an NGO creating programs that help these vulnerable women and giving them an address where they can be found by paramedics is fundamental to their success.

The problem is that the 4 billion people who need home addresses are the least likely to get them because custom, good quality signs are expensive.