Winners of first ‘ICT 4 Inclusion Challenge’ in Africa announced

Winners from Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa present their modern answers for inclusive schooling

Paris, France – December three, 2021

The ICT 4 Inclusion Challenge (ICT4IC) aims to condition inclusive schooling for folks with disabilities in Africa. The 3 profitable teams have been presented with their awards now for the duration of the ceremony which took area virtually, livestreamed from Atos’ headquarters in Bezons and its offices in Munich. The level of competition observed 202 programs with above 400 participants from 37 countries close to the environment contend.

The level of competition was organized by Atos and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf for German Federal Ministry for Financial Cooperation and Growth (BMZ) together with the Make-IT Alliance. Electronic inclusion stands at the heart of Atos’ raison d’etre and materializes into Atos’ practical experience portfolio, with distinct answers supporting folks with momentary or permanent disabilities to perform devoid of limitations in the electronic workplace.

The aim of the challenge is to acquire electronic innovations which are built to boost entry to schooling for all those with disabilities in Africa. The teams have been questioned to post a electronic or technical innovation (concept, mock-up or proof-of-strategy (PoC)) that provides or enhances entry to schooling for little ones, youths and/or adults with disabilities in Africa. This could be a electronic gadget or application electronic assistive systems an concept to increase consciousness for inclusive schooling working with electronic systems and accessibility answers for on-line discovering environments.

After an preliminary first spherical in which 10 teams have been selected by 24 judges to attend a 2-week virtual bootcamp, the nine industry experts powerful final jury panel, built up of Atos executives as perfectly as industry experts from GIZ, the personal sector, civil culture and intercontinental corporations, chose 3 finalists. These are:

• one^st prize and level of competition winner: ‘Vinsighte’, Nigeria

Vinsighte is a examining software package / application that will make use of Synthetic Intelligence to help the visually impaired to examine conveniently. It performs by scanning via texts on textbooks and examining the textbooks aloud to the visually impaired person. The group gained €6,five hundred.

• 2^nd prize: ‘Virtual E&T’, South Africa

This customized app provides available and affordable Digital Schooling and Coaching Portal for folks with mental disabilities. The group gained €2,five hundred.

• three^rd prize: ‘Talking Charts’, Kenya

This option addresses the accessibility troubles of data visualization for the folks with visual impairment and blind folks via artificial speech and vehicle-captioning. The group gained €1,000.

Every single participant in each individual of 3 profitable teams was awarded a devoted three-month mentorship plan at Atos starting off in January 2022, as perfectly as financial prizes and an prospect to pitch to be part of Atos Scaler, the Group’s accelerator plan.

Commenting on these outcomes, Udo Littke, Head of Atos in Central Europe said “Congratulations to our winners and to all of our contestants! I’m blown-absent by the creativity and high quality of the entries.Access to schooling is one particular of the best limitations to inclusion for little ones, young people and adults with disabilities in Africa and electronic innovations can assistance to conquer this challenge by getting rid of limitations to schooling for people with disabilities. We’re really happy to persuade the new generation to assistance condition the inclusive schooling in Africa”.

The judging panel was diligently selected to offer experience in the fields of schooling, Details and Interaction Engineering (ICT), innovation, accessibility, and incapacity inclusion as perfectly as regional African views. The level of competition entrants essential to be permanent people of an African place or non-people teaming up with an African firm, proving that their option is not still conveniently readily available on the marketplace and encouraging that folks of disabilities are either part of the group or bundled into the merchandise enhancement approach.

To obtain out extra, please go to https://ict4inclusionchallenge.web/ .

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Photo one: Oluwatomisin Kolawole from “Vinsights” Photo 2: Santie Terreblanche , Thomas Bezuidenhout, Taryn Du Toit, Mpilo Khumalo from “Digital E&T” and Photo three: Eric Maina Wamugu from “Speaking Charts”

About Atos

Atos is a global chief in electronic transformation with 107,000 staff and yearly profits of above € eleven billion. European number one particular in cybersecurity, cloud and substantial-general performance computing, the Team provides customized conclusion-to-conclusion answers for all industries in 71 countries. A pioneer in decarbonization companies and products and solutions, Atos is fully commited to a protected and decarbonized electronic for its customers. Atos is a SE (Societas Europaea), outlined on Euronext Paris and bundled in the CAC 40 ESG and Up coming 20 indexes.

The function of Atos is to assistance design and style the future of the info place. Its experience and companies help the enhancement of awareness, schooling and investigation in a multicultural strategy and add to the enhancement of scientific and technological excellence. Throughout the environment, the Team allows its shoppers and staff, and customers of societies at large to live, perform and acquire sustainably, in a harmless and protected info place.

Push get in touch with

Laura Fau | [email protected] | +33 six seventy three sixty four 04 18 | @laurajanefau