Rethinking Bednets

THE DIFFERENCE between a net that PROTECTS and one that stays FOLDED in the corner begins with better design.

Ease of use, comfort, and durability are essential for protection, night after night, year after year. OKnet is designed with over 15 improvements that overcome the barriers families face with the current hanging net.

THE RESULT: consistent use, reduced malaria transmission, fewer lives lost, and a dramatically lower cost per life saved.

WE WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR that OKnet builds on today’s leading bednet innovations. These include the latest dual-insecticide treatments used in current hanging nets, and high-durability netting that continues to protect after repeated use and washing.

Current Hanging Net

Easy

Self-erects: eliminates training
One-person setup: even a youngster
When unpacking, even 1st-time users clearly recognize the final shape
One-step assembly: frame self-opens, poles self-connect; pole attaches to the frame
No extra parts required
Self-standing frame allows for trouble-free repositioning

Difficult

Requires expensive training
Several adults needed for setup
When unpacking, even trained users can't recognize the final shape
Complex assembly: hammer nails into walls or ceiling; tie, attach, and tension strings
Requires additional parts: nails or wall anchors, string
Repositioning is difficult because of the installed nails and strings

Safe

Protected: stand-alone frame keeps net tight and away from skin
Sealed: taut net seals in users, secures tightly to the mattress or pad
Two ergonomic full-length doors for easy entry and exit
Spring-assisted snap-shut doors keep mosquitoes out
Durable: frame provides structural integrity, spreads tension to prevent net tears

Risky

Exposed: mosquitoes bite through when skin contacts the loose net
Open: Loose net is tucked under the mattress or pad — difficult from inside
No doors: users lift tucked-under net to get in and out
No doors: lifting the net lets mosquitoes in
Fragile: structural failure occurs when user movements snap a string or tear the net

Simple

Self-standing and only 2 lbs., the net can be picked up and moved anywhere
Resilient: frame is functional even with torn netting
Quick, 1-person disassembly: Remove and fold the pole, stack the frame
Easy storage: stacks in a flat 2-inch disk and fits almost anywhere
In the field: anchors securely with no extra parts

Impractical

Cannot be moved once installed, since the net is tied to walls by strings
Unusable if any string or a part of the netting is damaged
Complex disassembly: Unhook multiple strings, fold the netting, try to pack it
If not disassembled, the net occupies space most homes cannot spare
In the field: unstable even with additional supports

Economical

Cannot be repurposed beyond its intended use
Reduces netting by half, saving cost and bulk
Adjustable design adapts to multiple sizes
Nets per life saved = 50-100
Cost per life saved = $200

Inefficient

Diverted for fishing, farming and other purposes
Requires more netting, which adds cost and weight
Rigid design restricts both shape and size
Nets per life saved > 500-1,000
Cost per life saved = $4,500

DOES $4,500 PER LIFE MAKE ANY SENSE AT ALL? SEE HOW OKnet CHANGES THE EQUATION

More Lives Saved Per Dollar

Today, billions of dollars are spent fighting malaria. Improving how nets perform is just as important as increasing the amount of funding itself.

The value of a net depends on how many nights it protects the family beneath it. By reducing barriers to consistent use, OKnet delivers more protection from every net — making every malaria-prevention dollar go further.

Our goal is simple: save more lives without increasing cost.

Cost Per Life Saved

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* GiveWell estimates that approximately $4,500 in donations are required to save one life through large-scale insecticide-treated bednet programs. This figure reflects real-world conditions with old-style hanging nets.

Better design allows existing malaria prevention investments to make every donor dollar go further.