Mobile for Development Resources

GSMA Innovation Fund for Assistive Tech: Meet the start-ups

The GSMA Innovation Fund for Assistive Tech was set up to find start-ups, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and social enterprises in Africa and Asia that are driving the digital inclusion of people with disabilities.

GSMA Innovation Fund Grantee: assistALL

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Signs Media Kenya Limited, one of the start-ups supported by the GSMA Innovation Fund, is on a mission to provide affordable, high quality sign language interpretation services to the hearing impaired.

GSMA Innovation Fund Grantee: DeafTawk

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DeafTawk is an assistive tech start-up based in Pakistan, with a mission to empower the global deaf community.

GSMA Innovation Fund Start-ups: I-Stem

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I-Stem’s mission is to empower students and professionals with disabilities to realise their potential by enabling equal access to information, resources and opportunities.

GSMA Innovation Fund for Assistive Tech: Meet the founders

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Empowering persons with disabilities through digital innovation: Insights from the GSMA Innovation Fund

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This report shares insights from the GSMA Innovation Fund for Assistive Tech, highlighting important lessons for AT start-ups and other stakeholders about how digital innovations can influence how persons with disabilities use mobile internet.

Driving the Digital Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities: Policy considerations for low- and middle-income countries

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Drawing on insights from recent research on the mobile disability gap and a policy review in 28 countries across Africa and Asia, this report provides a framework for action to increase digital inclusion for persons with disabilities.

Closing the Mobile Disability Gap in Ghana: Insights and Recommendations

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In Ghana, persons with disabilities are 34 per cent less likely to own a mobile phone and significantly less likely to own a smartphone than non-disabled persons. In this short report we present six key findings on the mobile ...

MWC Barcelona 2022 Session: ‘Reaching Underserved Population Segments’

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At some stage in the innovation journey, customer acquisition curves start to flatten and growth strategies shift to focus on creating value for unreached customer segments. A one-size-fits-all strategy no longer resonates with ...

Closing the Mobile Disability Gap in Sri Lanka: Insights and Recommendations

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Access to mobile can be life changing for persons with disabilities. Mobile phones, particularly smartphones, can cluster multiple assistive technologies into one device, enabling more autonomous living. But many persons with ...

The Mobile Disability Gap Report 2021

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Mobile devices and services offer life-changing benefits to persons with disabilities, enabling more independent living. However, GSMA research shows that despite this potential, many persons with disabilities remain unconnected and ...

Inclusive Digital Agriculture: Making value chains work for farmers with disabilities

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For the first time, this report provides evidence of the barriers facing farmers with disabilities in the agricultural value chain in LMICs and the opportunities to support disability inclusion in agriculture through digital tools.

Principles for Driving the Digital Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities

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The 'Principles' set out a framework for action for the mobile-industry, together with recommended activities, to help address the barriers that currently prevent persons with disabilities from accessing and using mobile-enabled products and services.

The Mobile Disability Gap Report 2020

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More than five billion people globally are mobile subscribers. As we move towards a more digital society, it is critical that digital technologies are inclusive of everyone, including persons with disabilities. However, research ...

Opening the Doors to Digital Innovation and Inclusion for People with Disabilities

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The current COVID19 pandemic response has disrupted and changed the ways in which societies operate. Yet people with disabilities, who may be particularly vulnerable in such disruptive times, are likely to be further isolated due to the inaccessibility ...

Breaking Down the Barriers for People with Disabilities through Innovation in Africa

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During this interactive session, hosted by GSMA’s Assistive Tech team, we shared insights on the mobile disability gap, including findings from our gender and disability research, and lessons learnt from the innovation landscape.

Vodafone Ghana: Driving digital inclusion of people with disabilities

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Naa Andrews from Vodafone Ghana discusses promoting digital inclusion for all and their Super Care product for people with hearing and speech impairments.

The future of mobility for the visually impaired

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Brian Mwenda from HopeTech+ discusses alternatives to the white cane and improving mobility for the visually impaired through Sixth Sense; a hand-held assistive tech device that aids walking and enables freedom and independence.

Opportunities for digital assistive technology innovations in Africa and Asia

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Digital assistive technologies (ATs), particularly mobile-based ATs, have the potential to be a valuable and cost-effective tool for persons with disabilities. To realise this opportunity there is a need for locally relevant digital ...

The digital lives of refugees and Kenyans with disabilities in Nairobi

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This research focuses on disability, using human-centred design methods to better understand how refugees and Kenyans with visual and hearing impairments in Nairobi use mobile technology and potential opportunities that it could provide.

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