1. The Assistive Technology Information Mapping project
AT-INFO-MAP
The Assistive Technology Information Mapping project

2. What is SAFOD
Formed in 1986 by disabled people for disabled people as a federation of Disabled Peoples Organisations (DPOs).
Leading disability-focused network.
Engaged in coordination of activities of DPOs in Southern Africa.
Strong presence in 10 countries.
Coordinate our programs and activities through our national affiliates.

3. At-Info-Map Vision
Project Aim: Map the availability of different types of assistive technology in Southern Africa.
Purpose:
Connecting persons with disabilities to the available AT near their community.
Providing information to SAFOD and other key actors in advocating for increased AT access.
Informing AT suppliers, manufacturers, and designers of unmet demand.

4. Background
Project awarded by Google Impact Challenge – ‘big ideas that will use technology to expand opportunity and independence for people with disabilities’.
Technology-based solutions
High risk/high impact
List of grants funded rants.html
Discuss process of selection from Google.

5. What are the problems?
Lack of awareness of what AT is available and where is it available
End users – where to find what I need?
Advocates/providers/suppliers/researchers/policy makers – what are the gaps?
Lack of information and transparency to inform efforts to increase AT access
Inadequate availability and quality of AT
Inconsistent supply

6. What is a solution?
Design a system that will collect and display information about AT availability.
What types of data will be collected?
WHAT types of AT are available
WHERE those products are located
Who will provide the data?
AT providers such as hospitals, schools, NGOs, DPOs, businesses
Who will use the data?
SAFOD
End users of AT
Providers and suppliers of AT
Government, funders, researchers, advocates

7. What system will be used?
An existing app, CommCare, will be designed, tested, and implemented to meet the aims of this project.
CommCare features:
Open source
Designed for low resource environments
Use on multiple devices
Customizable for different purposes/uses
Multiple languages
Modalities – text, images, video, audio
Dimagi will explain in more detail.

8. Project Team/Roles SAFOD: Lead implementing partner
George Kayange – Project Coordinator
DIMAGI: CommCare design, testing and training
UW: Fiscal management, coordination, liaison with Google.org
AfriNEAD: Monitoring and evaluation, project website management

9. Scope & Scale SAFOD affiliated countries Funding: $717,000
Pilot: Botswana
Scale up: Angola, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Funding: $717,000
Duration: March 2016 – March 2019

10. Timeline (March 2016-March 2019)
Launch April 19th
March 1st 2017
March 1st 2016
SET UP
Staffing
Contracts
Planning
PILOT: BOTSWANA
Recruit participants
Develop & test app
Evaluate app
Modify app
Plan for scale up
SCALE UP
Invite 9 other SAFOD countries to participate in scaling up

11. What data to collect on AT availability?
Simple/ Easy
Complex/Difficult
Feasibility/Complexity
Geographical location
Name of provider
Type of provider
AT category covered by provider
Quantity of supply
Cost of products
Type of AT provided
Consistency of supply
Quality of AT
Specific model details
Real-time supply updates
Source/origination of product

12. Design Consideration
System is useful to and used by SAFOD its affiliates and partners/stakeholders
System is flexible and customizable to meet different needs and uses (country level, community level)
System has a core data set that is feasible to consistently collect across contexts and countries

13. What data could look like: Basic Level
Clinic A:
Crutches only
All sizes
Providing 15/month on average
In stock as of [date]: 4O
Hospital X:
Prosthetics
Orthotics
Wheelchairs
Walkers
Crutches
Hearing aids
Eye glasses

14. What are motivations to provide data?
Make system useful to AT providers
Wrap data into other uses
Monitoring stock up in supply chain
Case management
End user follow up
Referral system

15. What we don’t want A beautiful app that no one uses
An academic exercise

16. Other potential benefits
Shine light on AT sector
Increase awareness of what AT solutions are possible
Increase capacity of SAFOD and affiliates and its partners/stekeholders

17. Challenges Fragmentation and complexity of AT sector
Range of product types
Diversity of AT providers
Inconsistent supply (Donations, Intl NGO, govt.)
Motivation to enter data in CommCare
One-time entry (cross sectional snapshot)
Updating data over time

18. Challenges Cost of scaling up Sustainability of project after 3 years
Requires additional funding/support
Sustainability of project after 3 years
Financing methods to support infrastructure

19. How will we know if project is successful?
Short-term
Long-term
Number of users entering into CommCare system
Number of end users accessing information collected by CommCare
SAFOD using this information to increase awareness about AT, advocate for increased access
System continues to increase users beyond 3 year grant
Financial mechanisms implemented in participating countries to ensure sustainability
Information is used to increase supply of and access to AT

20. End of Presentation