I don't know about you but growing up in Lagos I almost never saw a wheelchair ramp.

I don't know about you but growing up in Lagos I almost never saw a wheelchair ramp. Most buildings were just stairs and public transportation wasn't accessible. So when I think about what it means to be blind or deaf or just disabled in Africa, I think about systems and whether the environment was ever built with them in mind. To no surprise at all, it wasn't. But what's happening now could change all of that. I came across Tech Cabal's article on DI-Hack, the Disability Inclusive Hackathon run by Inclusive Tech Group in Ghana. And the more I watched the documentary, the more I realized that this hackathon story globally around 2.5 billion people need at least one assistive product. But access depends heavily on geography. In wealthier countries about 90% of people who need assistive tech can access it. However in many African countries access is far lower and what's available is often imported, expensive and not always designed for local realities. That disconnect between design and context is what DI-Hack is trying to respond to. DI-Hack brings developers and people with disabilities together for three days in Accra to build assistive technology. And this is very important because it changes how solutions are built. The person who experiences the challenge daily is part of defining it, shaping it, testing it. I really love this because you can't simulate lived experience, you either have it in the room or you don't. And when it's the output looks very different. One of the reasons why I started this page because I am so tired of copy paste technology where it's built in one environment and then just dumped in another without anybody ever actually fits. It may sound stupid but I don't think a lot of people actually realize that our languages are different, our infrastructure is different, the way we move through cities is completely different. Anyway back to DI-Hack. The Smart Cane is probably one of the most talked about projects to come out of the event. Sarah Kekeli, a visually impaired graduate from the University of Ghana became involved almost by accident. She heard a group discussing how "Smart Canes" work and realized that they misunderstood a key detail. So she stepped in, explained and eventually joined the team. And this changed the trajectory of the Smart Cane product. Early versions were heavier than they needed to be, certain alerts would have drawn unnecessary attention in public. So Sarah provided this feedback and the design evolved. What emerged was a detachable smart device that clips onto a traditional "Smart Cane" rather than replacing it. And I was on my own most of the time. It Sarah tested it on campus for months and described feeling more confident moving independently between buildings. Now here's the issue. The Smart Cane has been tested and refined and scaling it further would require $5,000 for 100 units. $5,000 and the funding isn't there. Meanwhile Africa's assistive tech market was valued at over $500 million in 2023 and is projected to hit over $1 billion by 2030. The demand is there, the need is clear. However moving from prototype to production would require an ecosystem that includes investment, governmental policies and enforcement and long-term support. And I feel like the governmental part is even the most important one besides funding because when you look at the laws of a lot of African countries, they are behind and it is very appalling. Like the governmental part is even the most important one besides funding because when you look at the laws of a lot of African countries, they are behind and it is very appalling. Like there are no provisions for disabled people at all. There is nothing for them. No enforcement like one of the judges reflected that the most meaningful outcome from DI-Hack wasn't even the product, it was the collaboration itself. Developers and people with disabilities working side by side, often for the first time in many African countries, people with disabilities are often excluded from public infrastructure and by extension public interaction. If you're in Africa right now, I want you to think about the last time you saw a disabled person for some of opportunities or class, you know, just the other day there's someone in my family or that works at this company. But for majority, you're most likely not going to remember the last time. And there's this quote I really, I can't remember where it's from, but it says when something is talked about and whenever you see representatives of whatever that subject is, it demystifies it. When environments aren't built to include disabled people, their visibility shrinks and not only their visibility, but the lens through which we see them. DI-Hack is now looking to expand beyond Ghana, potentially into Nigeria. And whether it scales successfully will depend on more than just enthusiasm. It requires sustained support and serious commitment to accessibility as infrastructure, not just charity. If you're interested, I'll link more information below for you to either donate or volunteer. And if you're building in this space or just thinking about how Africa can be more inclusive in general, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Until next time, bye.