Tech Era, a tech non-profit based in Ghana has
partnered with Dextra, a Canadian social enterprise and engineering company to
create affordable assistive technologies for persons with disabilities.
The two organizations aim at increasing access to education for
children with disabilities, creating fun and learning environment for children
and youth with disabilities, providing relief for parents with children with
disabilities while increasing chances of employment for persons with disability
through technology.
A statement issued and signed by Derick Omari, Chief
Executive Officer at Tech Era said his organization in partnership Dextra, is
creating an Assistive Technology (AT) Makerspace in Ashesi University in
collaboration with the Ashesi D-lab to develop capacities and competencies of
college students to use technology, electronics, programming and affordable
materials to redesign existing assistive technologies for children with
disabilities.
The two organizations also hope to create new
technologies customized to the needs of beneficiaries as well as educational
models and learning materials that can improve teaching and learning of science
and mathematics for visually impaired learners and other learners with
disabilities.
According to the World Bank, 9 out of 10 persons
with disabilities in the world do not have access to glasses, smartphones, wheelchairs,
prosthetics, hearing aid and other life-changing assistive technology they need.
The Global Disability Forum estimated that in 2050, about 2 billion individuals
will need assistive technology to go to school get a job or play a full role in
their families or communities.
Many persons with disabilities in Ghana and in
Africa are excluded from education, work, community and family life. In Ghana,
persons with disability are mostly not considered as part of the labor force.
Meanwhile, their efforts and talents can contribute to the economy. Less than
12% of children with disabilities are in school in Ghana due to poverty and lack
of assistive technologies, the statement said
The level of hardship coupled with superstitious
belief leaves a large majority of persons with disability with no reason than
to beg on the streets. For those who have children, what they earn from
begging, has never been enough to take their wards through the education they
wish them to achieve, the statement said
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