SUCCESS STORY FROM CSII Innovators Test Life -Changing Tech in Central Asia Civil Society Innovation People with disabilities in Central Asia struggle to be fully included in Initiative (CSII) is a global their societies in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan & services for people with disabilities remain largely inaccessible. This is network of people and organizations due to a lack of products, devices, services, and environments for who want to connect, partner and people with disabilities. Throughout Central Asia there are laws that learn together to defend and prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities, but public and strengthen civic space and private institutions have not yet committed the resources to create overcome restrictions to basic the necessary accessibility required under some country’s laws. freedoms of assembly, For the last two years, the Central Asia Hub has partnered with association and speech. Tel-Aviv University Friend's Association in Kazakhstan, who serves as the representative and implementer of the global social project TOM. This project’s goal is to improve the lives of people with Activating young disabilities by developing life changing innovations. changemakers to socially As part of the inaugural Innovation Fest, the Central Asia Hub and its innovate for the needs of partners hosted teams of inventors, students, technologists, medical disabled people technicians, and engineers to develop and test innovative solutions to increase accessibility for persons with disabilities. “Innovation Fest Central Asia is an opportunity to break out of the civil society bubble and partner with groups like TOM to build innovations that change people's lives in a tangible way,” said Philipp Reichmuth, consultant with ARGO, a Central Asia-based incubator of Civil Society Innovation Initiative. During a 72-hour Make-a-thon, winning teams invented: • An electric-powered exoskeleton for walking and for rehabilitation • A Braille translation device application • A programmable, vibration emitting audio device for the deaf Photo: Make -a-thon participant walks with the • Glasses that read the numbers on incoming buses aloud help of an exoskeleton designed in during an Innovation Fest held in Almaty in June 2018. By bringing these diverse groups, with participants as young as fourteen years old, the Central Asia Hub activated a network of changemakers to address the practical needs of people with “Innovation Fest is an opportunity to disabilities. To date, created inventions have attracted strong interest break out of the civil society bubble from governmental agencies and the private sector. This year’s and partner with groups like TOM to winners were awarded more than $1,000 USD to continue build innovations that change developing their prototypes. people's lives in a tangible way.” “This is still such an opportunity for the future. This is more than just Philipp Reicemuth help for the people,” said Saniya Arapova, TOM representative and CSII Central Asia Hub make-a-thon organizer. “There are great moments of integration, when people come in contact, work together and learn new capabilities, skills and ideas.” .