The co-creation camp, the mentorship stage, ahead of Enable Makeathon 2.0 was inaugurated recently.
The programme, initiated by the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) and partners, looks to develop prototypes and affordable solutions for challenges faced by persons with disabilities, especially those living in rural areas.
The 15-day co-creation camp will see 16 short-listed teams being mentored by experts to fine-tune their innovations.
Each team is developing an innovation that directly responds to one of the 12 Enable Makeathon Challenges, including access to education, access to tourism, and access to transport.
Teams comprising engineers, scientists, designers, innovators, persons with disabilities, humanitarians, manufacturers, investors and entrepreneurs are competing for grants that will allow them to further develop and market their innovations, said a press release.
Last Monday, the teams were taken through the places where they would be working. A panel discussion on ‘Listening to Needs: Humanitarian Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Inclusivity’, was also held.
The discussion highlighted the challenges of accessibility, affordability and inclusivity for persons with disabilities and put forth ideas on how these issues could be addressed.
The Enable Makeathon 2.0 will culminate on February 5, 2018, when three winners will be selected for an incubator grant and will win the chance to participate in a one-year incubator programme to further develop and scale their solutions, according to a release.
Talking about innovation and development, Jeremy England, Head of Regional Delegation at ICRC, said, “Technology is a force to level the playing field. We see it as a bridge for those with disabilities to ensure they are not left behind. But you cannot bridge unless you include those people normally excluded from the process of solutions. The Enable Makeathon is one such platform where through an inclusive approach, we are aiming to strengthen the ecosystem that will help move things forward for real impact.”
