Overview

• It is estimated that there are 12-15 million persons with disabilities in Egypt and since the impact of disability extends to the families of the individuals, there are about 30 to 36 million citizens who are affected by disability in Egypt. This constitutes around 30% of the total population, facing a wide range of barriers, including access to information, education, health care and lack of job opportunities. Persons living with disabilities face a daily struggle and need to be integrated/included into society.

• Realizing the significance of the role of technology in facilitating everyday life for citizens and valuing the principle of social justice, The National Academy of information Technology for Persons with Disabilities (NAID) was established to focus on the inclusion and empowerment of PwDs into the Egyptian society via the use of ICT, thereby developing their abilities.

 

Target Segment

• Entrepreneurs 
  • People who have an idea of a start-up or are launching a start up with an innovative idea in the domain of AT.

• Innovators \ Researchers
  • They provide inspiration through their innovative ideas where they eventually need to find an entrepreneur or fund to incubate their ideas.

• People with disabilities \ Service providers
  • Based on real needs to enhance their quality of living and improve their chances for inclusion and empowerment (employment).

Disabilities of focus

• Physical.
• Visual.
• Hearing.
• Intellectual
• Autism spectrum disorder, and delayed language and speech development.
• Learning disabilities and Irlen Syndrome

Vision Statement

• To become a worldwide recognized hub for the development of assistive technologies and a catalyst for change, empowerment, independence and inclusion for PwDs.

Mission Statement

• Promote and stimulate an ecosystem to empower and include PwDs into society based on the use of ICT through research and development, spreading accessibility, awareness as well as training activities.

Core Values

• Equality

• Quality

• Inclusion

Goals

1. Enrich public awareness about the role of ICT in supporting each type of disability and relevant assistive technologies used to support PwDs and help to integrate them within the educational system and society at large.
2. Provide persons with disabilities with competent skills, knowledge, and encourage their innovative abilities by enabling their access to various learning resources enhancing their chances for employment and improving their quality of life.
3. Support the ICT training of professionals and staff working with PwDs with particular focus on assistive technologies, to improve the provision of assistance and services provided to PwDs.
4. Provide a codebook of assistive technology and best practices corresponding to relevant ICT technologies as well as other forms of support facilitating the social integration of PwDs. In addition, appropriate training programs / manuals are to be designed.
5. Conduct / promote research and development of new assistive technology industries via different programs and means of support; promote AT availability and affordability as well as wide-spread use.
6. Infra / infostructure support for the inclusion of PwDs in society using ICT tools.
7. Coordinate the availability of information and services to PwDs using ICT in collaboration with concerned and competent stakeholders.
8. International cooperation to develop and implement policies, plans, programs and exchange of experiences in ICT domains relevant to PwDs.