Integrated Solutions for Displacement, Disaster & Dignity -

Integrated Solutions for Displacement, Disaster & Dignity -

Our Story & Our Vision

DS3-Global is an Australian-based social enterprise born from disaster response innovation.

Treating displacement beyond an emergency to a sustainability and community development challenge, our approach unites innovation, a deep social responsibility and a fierce belief in local capacity.

We envision a world where no one is left behind.

Established in 2006 as Category 5, founded in 2008 with our first deployment in 2009 (Brazil landslides), we rebranded in 2023 to DS3-Global: Displacement Sustainable Solutions and Services.

DS3-Gobal reimagines shelter as a scalable ecosystem

Driven by purpose and partnership we are strategically disruptive - not through criticism - simply by building an alternative.

Building Better. Together.

Treating displacement beyond an emergency to a sustainability and community development challenge, the following 6 Guiding Pillars influence all parts of our human-centred designs, solutions and services.

Innovation

We rethink the possible and engineer it for the field.

Using existing technology with new ideas, we design around the realities of crisis with modular engineering shelters, smart insulation, solar power kits and off-grid-ready accessories.

Innovation means:

•Reusable shelters with up to 10× the lifespan of traditional tents

•Hybrid systems (solar + AC-ready) for tropical climates

•Disability access built-in, not bolted on

•Configurable layouts for health, security and cultural needs

•Companion technologies like apps, AI-powered planning tools, and soon, educational books for children facing trauma

Inclusion

Nobody gets left behind. Not in the storm, not in the rebuild.

Our CommUnity Spaces can group vulnerable people into safer, supported zones. Ramps, mesh safety barriers, privacy features and access planning can be standard features, not optional.

Inclusion means:

•Disability-first access tools and layouts

•Safety zones for at-risk populations

•Multilingual signage, visual cues and intuitive design

•Community-managed Repair & Maintenance programs

•Storybooks and specialised resources for children affected by trauma

Impact

It’s not just shelter. It’s safety, dignity and long-term value.

DS3 products are engineered for resilience, reuse and regional adaptation. We measure our impact across social, economic, health and environmental lines.

Impact means:

•Longer shelter lifespan = fewer replacements = less cost + less waste

•Improved privacy = mental health protection

•Durable floors = lower injury risk

•Reuse across seasons and emergencies

•Scalable to meet sudden-onset or protracted crises

Inspiration

Hope travels with the shelter.

We’ve begun a series of books specifically for children facing disasters, alongside visual-first apps to support field workers and families.

Inspiration means:

•Books for children, to process and manage trauma

•Apps for shelter management, mapping and maintenance

•Celebrating local ingenuity in how shelters are adapted

•Showcasing real stories from the field

•Thinking about a pathway toward self-reliance

•Ways to rethink Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Social Governance factors

Sustainability

Built to last. Built to respect.

From solar-powered factories to low-carbon freight plans, sustainability guides all our decisions. We support reuse, local circular economies and low-waste materials.

Sustainability means:

•Reduced CO₂ in shipping through compact shelter designs

•Solar + hybrid-ready shelter components

•Local sourcing and low-waste design systems

•Manufacturing partnerships near deployment zones

Localisation

Not parachuted in — built alongside.

We empower host communities to co-lead delivery, repair and even production. Local knowledge, materials and people are at the centre of every deployment.

Localisation means:

•Manufacturing hubs in-region for faster delivery/ economic inclusion

•Repair & Maintenance toolkits and training for host communities

•Add-ons designed with local climate and cultural cues

•Open frameworks to allow local NGOs to co-design

•Shelter skins and layouts that evolve with communities

More than Shelter. A Platform for Recovery.

  • Black and white photo of a water droplet splashing into a calm water surface, creating ripples and a vertical splash.

    “Elevated bases prevent water ingress, mitigating health risks from damp living conditions and reducing soil erosion and land degradation. Roof systems are engineered to collect rainwater or direct it safely away from shelters, helping restore natural water flows and reduce site disruption, particularly in flood-prone areas.”

    Environmental adaptation

  • A single solar panel leaning against a tree in a forest.

    “Optional solar and battery kits (co-developed with partners) allow our shelters to operate independently of diesel generators. These rugged systems, now in demand in Gaza and Bangladesh, power lighting, ventilation and connectivity, extending functionality and reducing emissions in off-grid settings.”

    Cleaner energy access

  • Close-up of a smartphone screen displaying app icons including Messages, Photos, Camera, Google Maps, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Messenger on a wooden surface.

    “Our Command Centre and CommUnity apps, replace paper-based systems with digital coordination - streamlining aid delivery and reducing waste in high-turnover emergency scenarios.”

    Digital efficiency

  • A black and white photo of four hands intertwined and holding each other, two are male hands and two are female hands, with rings and bracelets visible.

    “Shelters are not just structures, they’re personal, cultural and psychological sanctuaries. We work closely with NGOs and community stakeholders to ensure alignment with gender norms, privacy needs, religious practices and community layouts. Indigenous voices are embedded through storytelling, native-language app interfaces and locally informed visual designs. This localisation model reinforces dignity, safety and cultural continuity.”

    Cultural sensitivity and localisation

Discover more about our integrated solutions for displacement, disaster and dignity