August 20th is World Mosquito Day. It marks the 1897 discovery that mosquitoes spread malaria. For many, it’s just a fact from history.

But for millions of displaced people living in crowded, poor conditions, mosquitoes are more than a bother—they’re a daily and deadly threat.

At Every Shelter, we believe the best solutions come from the people who face the problems. That’s the spirit behind our Design School, and one of our projects to come out of this year’s cohort is called the Mosquito Fighters.

This team of refugee students is tackling a very real and urgent question: How can we keep mosquitoes out of shelters—without compromising airflow, visibility, or the usability of doors and windows?

Their approach is as thoughtful as it is practical. They’ve begun testing a variety of mosquito-proofing methods, including:

• Wooden-framed netting for open-air windows

• Magnetic screens for metal doors and windows

• Velcro-fixed nets for flexibility and removability

• Permanent coverings for ventilation bricks and the wall-roof gap

The team chose the home of one of their fellow participants and spent time measuring, sketching, and observing. They’re prototyping and installing their first round of solutions—testing ideas in real-world conditions with real-world needs.