Online Reporter
Dr Christine Peta
GLOBALLY, only one in every 10 persons with disabilities has access to the assistive devices they need to support their daily activities.
Challenges include high costs, lack of availability of the devices and a scarcity of trained personnel to produce them.
For instance, of the 70 million people who need a wheelchair worldwide, only five to 15 percent have access to one.
Hearing aid production meets only 10 percent of the global need.
In low-income countries, only 3 percent of the need is met.
Additionally, 200 million people with low vision do not have access to glasses or other devices for this kind of impairment.
These statistics highlight a significant unmet need, suggesting that millions of persons with disabilities are unable to fully participate in society due to a lack of the necessary tools and support.
With the severe shortage of assistive devices like specialised wheelchairs and communication tools, many persons with disabilities in low-income countries employ ingenious solutions to navigate and interact with their environments, thus demonstrating remarkable resourcefulness.
These include simple modifications of everyday objects and spaces, such as customised tools for work or hobbies, the creative use of readily available materials to overcome physical barriers and accessible home adaptations.
For example, some individuals use locally available timber to manufacture walking frames for children with physical disabilities, albeit with the involvement of a local rehabilitation technician.
Remarkably, some persons with disabilities use their feet to eat because they have no hands, while others use their mouths to hold pencils and paintbrushes, creating artistic paintings that move from grassroots to global levels, selling like hotcakes.
Many blind people also devise unique ways to manage daily tasks like cooking, dressing or ironing their clothes, often drawing on their own creativity and experience.
Ultimately, these grassroots solutions promote independence, enhance quality of life and foster greater inclusion within society, while also demonstrating remarkable adaptability and problem-solving skills, leading to lesser dependence on caregivers.
However, these ingenious solutions are often overlooked due to the historic marginalisation of the perspectives and experiences of persons with disabilities.
Furthermore, some solutions often address a very particular challenge that might not interest a large group of people.
There is a critical need to recognise and support grassroots innovators with disabilities for the time and energy they dedicate to creating solutions.
These innovations enable them to overcome diverse barriers, enhance daily living, foster a sense of achievement and boost their mental well-being.
Indeed, persons with disabilities, working in collaboration with supportive stakeholders, can leverage their resourcefulness and participate more fully in society.
Taken more seriously, grassroots innovations can significantly contribute to the assistive
technology market, which the World Health Organisation estimates to be between US$26 billion and US$31 billion this year.
The market is expected to grow significantly over the coming years, with projections indicating a year-on-year growth of about 7 to 10 percent from 2024 to 2030.
As life expectancy increases, amidst the rising global ageing population and increasing
prevalence of disabilities, the need for tools and devices that support independent living and enhance quality of life for individuals with age-related conditions or disabilities also rises, thus making assistive technology a significant business sector.
Government initiatives and funding for disability support also play a role by subsidising
purchases of assistive technologies, thereby boosting sales for companies in this sector.
We need to create space for persons with disabilities to showcase their ingenious grassroots solutions.
These can significantly boost the assistive technology industry by highlighting unmet needs and demonstrating effective user-centred designs.
This can be achieved through hosting innovation challenges, creating exhibitions to display prototypes and solutions and partnering with diverse stakeholders to promote these innovations.
Showcasing success stories and testimonials can build trust and credibility, thus driving
market adoption.
Furthermore, integrating user feedback into product development cycles will improve the functionality and relevance of grassroots inventions by persons with disabilities.
Dr Christine Peta is a disability, public health, policy, international development and
research expert. She can be contacted on: [email protected]
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter