Our Story

Burro started with a simple question: In a world of high-tech products that quickly become irrelevant (or cause more problems), how might we design something that lasts, and unquestionably solves a real problem?

To find answers, our founder, Adam Lyman, moved to rural Zambia to learn from a community that used very little technology. The tools that thrived there were simple and essential: bicycles, solar panels, basic phones, plastic buckets. In a place where only the most useful technology survived, the challenge was clear: what could the next innovation be?

"We didn’t aim to build the latest app or device. We set out to design the next essential tool—one that could endure for 100 years."

Part 1 - Community entry

In 2018, Adam moved to a rural farming community in northern Zambia, about 1,000 km from Lusaka. Hosted by Allan Mwango, a village elder, he lived and worked alongside the community, getting a better idea of how people adapt and thrive with (or without) simple technology.

Part 2 - Defining the problem

Working with a group of farmers, Adam & Allan formed a small "design team," to identify the community's most pressing challenges. The answer was clear: people were tired of carrying heavy loads on their heads and shoulders every day, for long distances. Together, they set out to design something better.

Part 3 - Codesign

Combining local knowledge with engineering & fabrication skills, Adam and the design group sketched out several concepts for a transport tool. Adam converted the concepts into working prototypes that could be taken home and used for everyday tasks.

Part 4: Testing & Iteration

Over several years, farmers put prototypes to the test in daily life - hauling water, transporting maize during harvest, and carrying firewood and supplies. When something broke, it was redesigned and built stronger. Through this cycle of use, feedback, and re-design, more than 20 unique prototypes were created and tested in the community.

Part 5: Change begins

Soon, community members began relying on the cart prototypes to transport cargo on a daily basis. The demand was so high, that design team members started renting their prototypes out to people. Before long, these carts weren't just tools - they were changing the way people lived and worked, making everyday tasks faster, lighter and more efficient.

Part 6: Bush Barrow is Born

Halfway through the testing period, something unexpected happened: people passing through the village began asking if they could buy the prototypes. Demand was no longer just local — it was proof there was a bigger need waiting to be met.

In 2021, The Bush Barrow Company was founded in Zambia, with the goal of making this technology accessible at scale. What began as a small community project was now becoming a business built to serve farmers across the country and beyond.

As our work grew beyond the bush, our name also evolved. Today, Bush Barrow has become Burro (donky in Spanish)— a name inspired by the world’s original workhorse, built to carry heavy loads and stand the test of time.

Part 7: Scaling up

In 2022, we moved our manufacturing headquarters to South Africa to gain better access to materials and imported parts. As we expanded, we discovered that the same challenge existed across industries—from landscaping to recycling to organic farming: moving cargo too big for a wheelbarrow, and too small for a vehicle.

Today, Burro operates in both South Africa and Zambia, and we’re just getting started. With every product we build, we’re moving closer to our vision of creating simple, lasting technology that makes work easier and more sustainable across the world.