Publications
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AT2030: Testing 'What Works' in Assistive Technology
Global Disability Innovation HubApril 2, 2025Case Studies and ReportsFirst showcased at the Global Disability Summit (GDS) 2025, the AT2030 Impact Brochure 2025 details the AT2030 programme's progress and achievements in expanding access to assistive technology (AT) globally, including information on the program's evolution, key outcomes, partnerships, and future directions.
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BeyondThisLand Case Study
Global Disability Innovation Hub, Loughborough University, University of Malawi, Malawi Paralympic Committee, The African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5March 31, 2025Case Studies and ReportsThis case study highlights the #BeyondThisLand campaign used to reimagine the narrative of disability sports in Africa, presenting para athletes as talented, motivated, and strong competitors while engaging audiences through relatable digital storytelling.
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Nepal Wheelchair Provision Workshop Report
Global Disability Innovation Hub, University of Limerick, Kathmandu UniversityMarch 31, 2025Academic Research PublicationsDespite supportive policies, wheelchair provision in Nepal is informal and unsustainable. Through interviews and workshops across four provinces, key challenges and solutions were identified, highlighting the urgent need for systemic reform to ensure equitable, sustainable wheelchair services.
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Zimachitika Para sport Radio Drama – Leveraging Edutainment for Disability Inclusion
Loughborough University, University of Malawi, Malawi Paralympic CommitteeMarch 31, 2025Case Studies and ReportsAhead of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, the Malawi Paralympic Committee and the University of Malawi partnered with Story Workshop Educational Trust (SWET) to produce six special episodes of the popular Malawian radio drama Zimachitika (These Things Happen). Using the "Making Noise" methodology, this initiative aimed to build interest in Para sport and challenge stigma around disability through the power of storytelling.
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Paris 2024, Malawi, and the Power of Media: How Making Noise is Changing Disability Narratives
Loughborough University, University of Malawi, Malawi Paralympic CommitteeMarch 31, 2025Case Studies and ReportsThe Malawi Paralympic Committee, and University of Malawi, worked closely with a range of national stakeholders to develop activities and media content aimed at challenging and shifting stigma associated with disability through Para sport. This case study provides insight on the "Making Noise" methodology that was implemented before, during, and after the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
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Disability and Assistive Technology in Population-Based Data
Jamie Danemayer, Catherine HollowayMarch 30, 2025Academic Research PublicationsThis article aims to describe the data types and accompanying methods that are commonly-used to estimate disability prevalence in a population. These estimates are often commissioned by policymakers to scale supportive measures, and innovators to describe addressable markets to funders.
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Localising I'mPossible Toolkit Malawi
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC)March 30, 2025AT2030 ResourcesThis toolkit is for professionals in the Para-Sports sector to develop their I'mPossible skillset and address stigma, This tool is available in Chichewa.
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Accelerating access to assistive technology: report on multi-country workshop, Jakarta, Indonesia
Global Disability Innovation Hub, UNICEF, World Health OrganizationMarch 28, 2025Case Studies and ReportsThis report presents the outcomes of the multi-country workshop held on 7-9 November 2023, in Jakarta, Indonesia, to accelerate access to assistive technology in the Western Pacific and Southeast Asia regions. Organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, the workshop gathered 106 participants from 15 countries in partnership with the Government of Indonesia.
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Wheelchair Provision in Nepal: Kathmandu, Bagmati Province
Global Disability Innovation Hub, University of Limerick, Kathmandu UniversityMarch 28, 2025NepalAcademic Research PublicationsApplying the Sustainable Community of Practice (SCOP) model to view wheelchair provision in Nepal, this study seeks to understand the landscape of overall wheelchair product and service provision, deep diving into its provincial situation. This report provides an insight on the provincial workshops conducted in the Kathmandu using the SCOP model and Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) which were pivotal in collaboratively identifying context-specific solutions and stakeholder-driven recommendations.
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Personalised Co-creation of Locally Produced Prosthetics in Nepal: Case Study 1 – Prosthetic Foot
Dr Ben Oldfrey, RAM CHANDRA THAPA, Ashish Thapa, Bikash Paudel, Amit Bajracharya, Ganga Gurung, Rosemary Gowran, Pratisthit Lal Shrestha, Tigmanshu Bhatnagar, Mark Miodownik, Catherine HollowayMarch 28, 2025Case Studies and ReportsAccess to assistive technology (AT) like prosthetics and wheelchairs is limited in low-income countries—just 11% of those in need can access them. In Nepal, this challenge is worsened by difficult terrain, limited imports, and underreported disability rates.
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Personalised Co-creation of Locally Produced Prosthetics in Nepal: Case Study 2 – Prosthetic Hand
Dr Ben Oldfrey, RAM CHANDRA THAPA, Ashish Thapa, Bikash Paudel, Amit Bajracharya, Ganga Gurung, Rosemary Gowran, Pratisthit Lal Shrestha, Tigmanshu Bhatnagar, Mark Miodownik, Catherine HollowayMarch 28, 2025Case Studies and ReportsAs part of the AT2030 Local Systems Strengthening project, the Global Disability Innovation Hub supports the development of custom prosthetic hands in Kathmandu. Designed for the local context, these hands are being co-created by a global-local innovation team using digital fabrication and locally sourced materials.
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Access to smartphones in Kenya: the research case for mobile as AT
Global Disability Innovation HubMarch 28, 2025Academic Research PublicationsThis latest AT2030 Programme Insight Paper explores the impact of a groundbreaking intervention that equipped Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) and Blind and Partially Sighted (BPS) participants with smartphones and tailored digital skills training.
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Beyond this land case study
Global Disability Innovation Hub, Loughborough University, University of Malawi, Malawi Paralympic CommitteeMarch 28, 2025Case Studies and ReportsStigma around disability in Africa remains deeply entrenched, limiting societal inclusion, reducing visibility, and restricting access to assistive technologies. This report highlights how showcasing talent, strength, and motivation, can challenge traditional narratives of disability. Africa’s growing digital landscape presents an opportunity to reshape perceptions and drive awareness of assistive technologies.
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Making Noise: Media Monitoring Report
Gladys Chiwinja, Samuel Grem, Innocent Katsache, Willards Muwawa, Edgar Ntulumbwa, Jessica Noske-TurnerMarch 27, 2025Case Studies and ReportsPara sport has been increasingly covered in the mainstream media in Malawi, boosted by the ‘Making Noise’ campaign around the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games as part of the Para Sport Against Stigma project. Making Noise seeks to realise the potential of para and Paralympic sport as a platform for social change.
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OPD Capacity Building for a Disability Inclusive Future Kenya Project Report
Louise Gebbett, Maryam Bandukda, Kilimanjaro Blind Trust, Amelie De Bronac De Vazelhes, David Osinya, Zeina Mahmoud,, Nicholas KalovweMarch 27, 2025KenyaCase Studies and ReportsKilimanjaro Blind Trust Africa (KBTA), in partnership with the Global Disability Innovation (GDI) Hub as part of the AT2030 programme, funded by UK International Development, implemented a project to strengthen the capacity of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) to enhance their advocacy, organisational effectiveness, digital literacy, and skills in assistive technologies (AT). To support this initiative, Kilimanjaro Blind Trust Africa (KBTA), led by Global Disability Innovation Hub, carried out a comprehensive needs assessment in three counties —Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu — to identify the challenges OPDs face in these regions. The needs assessment gathered actionable insights that informed the development of targeted capacity-building interventions for OPDs.
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Storytelling for Assistive Technology Advocacy
Maryam BandukdaMarch 25, 2025Case Studies and ReportsThis case study highlights storytelling workshops in Kenya and Pakistan, part of the AT2030 programme, empowering individuals with visual and hearing impairments to advocate for assistive technology and disability rights. Through participatory activities and tools participants reflected on their experiences, set advocacy goals, and crafted personal stories to amplify their voices.
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Enhancing mobile accessibility for persons with hearing and visual impairments: case for mobile as AT
Global Disability Innovation HubMarch 21, 2025Academic Research PublicationsThis study assessed the feasibility and impact of providing smartphones and digital skills training to individuals with visual and hearing impairments in India, Kenya, and Brazil. Over 750 participants were trained to use Android accessibility features, with a focus on enhancing communication, education, and employment opportunities.
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Youth Attitudes Towards Disability Sport & Assistive Technology
Shujaaz IncMarch 20, 2025Academic Research PublicationsThe 2024 Paralympic Games present a unique cultural moment to amplify the voices and stories of persons living with disabilities. To leverage this global event, the Global Disability Innovation Hub partnered with Shujaaz, an Emmy award winning partner based in Kenya to create a comprehensive initiative that explores and highlights the cultural impact of disability beyond the realm of sports.
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From Information Seeking to Empowerment: Using Large Language Model Chatbot in Supporting Wheelchair Life in Low Resource Settings - Research Summary
Wen Mo, Aneesha Singh, Catherine HollowayMarch 12, 2025Research SummariesThis study explores access to assistive technologies (AT) in low- and middle-income countries, focusing on Nepal, where access is much lower compared to high-income countries. Using a collaborative approach, the study found a significant unmet demand for AT in Nepal, with local initiatives successfully addressing specific needs. It highlights that combining global and local expertise creates sustainable solutions, reducing dependence on monopolies and improving accessibility and affordability.
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Scaffolding Digital Literacy Through Digital Skills Training for Disabled People in the Global South: Research Summary
Laxmi Gunupudi, Maryam Bandukda, Giulia Barbareschi, Tigmanshu Bhatnagar, Aanchal Singh, Satish Mishra, Amit Prakash, Catherine HollowayMarch 12, 2025Research SummariesThis study explores how digital training empowers people with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries by improving mobile skills. Conducted in India and Kenya, it found that personalized training, accessibility apps, and WhatsApp groups enhanced learning, confidence, and peer support. Extending Vygotsky’s Scaffolding Theory, it proposes a new framework for inclusive digital training.
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