More than 2.5 billion people need assistive technology to live productive and dignified lives, yet nearly one billion lack access. In Sub-Saharan Africa, for example, access to assistive technology can be as low as 3%.

We envision Confluence, a Global Assistive Technology Innovation Hub, as a solution. Confluence aims to facilitate the collective development of contextually relevant and sustainable assistive technology for people with disabilities in low-income countries.

This VIP introduces students to the mission of Confluence. Through collaboration with our Rwandan partners, students will explore concepts of co-design, sustainability, and localization. They’ll work in sub-teams to develop projects that advance locally relevant AT innovation.