Assistive Technology User Fellowship: Positioning OPDs as Equal Partners on Assistive Technologies

The International Disability Alliance (IDA), Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub) and AT2030 are implementing a project “Positioning OPDs as Equal Partners on Assistive Technology” (AT Project) with the aim to strengthen the role of persons with disabilities and their representative organisations (OPDs) in the use of and access to AT in different parts of the world by reinforcing their technical capacities and contributing to the production of research and knowledge on AT, and to reduce the gap in knowledge among relevant duty bearers, actors and service providers about AT and to document experiences of diverse groups of persons with disabilities who either currently using AT or trying to access it.  

Under this project, five AT user fellows (under IDA’s fellowship programs) from four regions in the Global South (Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Middle East and North Africa - MENA) have been selected. The AT fellowship is inclusive with representation of diverse voices including women, men, youth and three constituencies of disability (physical, visual and albinism). Fellows were selected following a competitive, transparent, inclusive and participatory recruitment process.

The fellowship runs from July 2023 to March 2024. 

Below are their profiles.  

Ahmed Hassan Alradi Abdalla holds an LLB degree with first-class honors from the University of Khartoum, Faculty of Law. Additionally, Ahmed has pursued advanced studies in human rights, specializing in the African Human Rights System, through the Human Rights Centre at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. 

As a paralegal at SCLS, Ahmed has dedicated his career to working with various organizations and bodies focused on disability issues. Notable among his contributions are his roles within the Student Association for Awareness and Protection of Human Rights at the University of Khartoum and the University of Khartoum Blinds Students group. He has also actively participated in initiatives advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities, including raising awareness about disability concepts, promoting the CRPD Convention, and advocating for the right to education, right to access to assistive technology for students with disabilities. 

One of Ahmed's significant past projects involved assisting blind students at the University of Khartoum in accessing academic materials. The Sudanese Blind Union honored him for being the first person with a disability to successfully complete secondary school. He also represented the University of Khartoum in a mock trials competition for international human rights law organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross, earning the title of the best leader. 

Name: Banya Ojok
Organisation: Uganda National Association of the Blind 
Country: Uganda 

Banya Ojok is an advocate for assistive technology and accessibility, with five years of experience in empowering persons with visual impairments. He has worked with organizations like Scoping for Global Resource Hub on Deaf blindness and the Royal Dutch Visio foundation. Banya's interests encompass communication and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Currently, he is collaborating with Retina Blind Vision Uganda to develop a Ugandan English-accented text-to-speech (TTS) engine and an online learning center for persons with visual impairments.  

In the past, Banya contributed to the MasterCard Foundation E-learning initiative by advising content creators and lecturers on creating inclusive and accessible learning materials for visually impaired students. He was also actively involved in the ICT inclusion efforts for persons with disabilities, partnering with the National Union of Disabled People of Uganda and the Uganda Communication Commission to raise awareness about assistive technologies in rural Uganda. 

Banya Ojok's commitment to disability inclusion was further strengthened by a five-month fellowship on disability capacity building in Denmark, awarded by the National Union of Disabled People of Uganda and Disabled People of Denmark (DPOD) in 2013. 

Name: Elizabeth Francisca Campos Sánchez
Organisation: Comisión de Damas Invidentes del Perú (CODIP), Junta de Apoyo Para Personas Invidentes (JAPPI) 
Country: Peru 

Elizabeth Francisca Campos Sánchez has a background in communications and a specialization in web accessibility criteria and creating accessible documents for individuals who rely on screen readers and magnifiers.  

Throughout her career, Elizabeth has been actively involved in conducting workshops focused on access to information, accessible web design, and assistive technologies tailored for people with visual disabilities. She has also played a significant role in developing digital skills among students with visual impairments and has educated teachers on the Braille system. 

Currently, Elizabeth is passionately engaged in raising awareness about assistive technologies and their potential to enhance the lives of persons with disabilities. 

In her previous work, she led efforts to enhance the accessibility of web portals for public institutions, ensuring that persons with visual disabilities could access and navigate these platforms. She directed initiatives such as assisting the National Election Jury in enabling blind individuals to check for fines related to not voting in elections. In 2020, she collaborated with the Judiciary to improve access to their file consultation portal and the "The Judge Listens to You" platform, enabling blind lawyers to work remotely. Additionally, Elizabeth trained teachers on creating accessible materials for blind children. 

She won the Economic Stimulus from the Ministry of Culture for her project "Caravan Inclusive Promotion of Reading: We all have the right to read." This innovative project promotes reading among blind and low-vision children through tactile books and educational games designed to teach Braille to children without visual impairments. 

Name: Nayem Molla, Assistive Technology User Fellow, IDA 
City and Country: Dhaka, Bangladesh