Did you know that over a billion people around the world live with some form of disability and the majority are in developing countries? In Somalia, the numbers are even harder to track, but we know the challenges are real. One study I came across even estimated that nearly 10% of Somalis suffer from total blindness.
With this in mind, I was lucky enough to join a one-week Tech Innovation Camp for Persons with Disabilities, organized by SIMAD iLab together with the UNDP Somalia Accelerator Lab. It was an exciting week full of learning, teamwork, and a lot of creativity.
On the first day, we met the facilitators, broke into teams, and started thinking about the biggest challenges people with disabilities face in Somalia. What made it more powerful was hearing directly from the National Disability Agency, the Abeer Foundation, and schools working with the deaf and blind. Their stories gave us a real sense of what’s needed, and it pushed us to think deeper about solutions.
Our team decided to focus on helping people with visual impairments. After a lot of brainstorming, we came up with an idea for a device we called Mobility Educational Technology (MET). It’s simple to use, but powerful it turns text into speech in the Somali language. That “Somali language” feature was what made it really special for us, because accessibility should also mean cultural and language inclusion.
We built a prototype, practiced our pitch, and on the final day presented it in front of judges, guests, and other teams. To our surprise and joy our project MET was announced as the Most Innovative Idea! That moment was unforgettable.
For me, the whole experience was more than just winning an award. It was about teamwork, listening to the community, and proving that with the right mindset and collaboration, we can design solutions that make a real difference. And this is just the beginning we’re already thinking about how to take MET to the next level.
MET Device
Head of National Disability Agency
Ismail Ahmed Yussuf, Principal, Al Basiir School for the Blind