Welcome to the new episode of Pathways to Zero Barriers! In this episode, we sit down with Renita Nabisubi, Lead, Disability Inclusion at the Mastercard Foundation, to explore the assistive technology landscape in Africa and what it takes to bring promising innovations to the people who need them. Episode's transcript 📃 From locally developed digital solutions to AI-powered prosthetic limbs, Renita shares how assistive technology can expand opportunities for young persons with disabilities. Drawing on her professional experience and lived experience as an above-knee amputee, she discusses the challenges of affordability, funding, accessibility and distribution—and why technology alone is not enough. The conversation explores the role of local innovation, the importance of designing for different contexts, and the need for stronger collaboration between innovators, funders, governments, educators and employers. Renita also explains why young persons with disabilities must have a voice in decisions that affect them, and how disability inclusion can contribute to economic empowerment. Key takeaways from this episode: Assistive technology is about participation: it can determine whether young persons with disabilities can stay in education, approach job interviews with confidence, work independently, or travel. Access goes beyond receiving a device: assistive technology must be accessible, affordable and appropriate to each user’s needs and context. Maintenance and repair are essential to ensure that devices remain functional and useful. Young persons with disabilities must shape the decisions that affect them: their lived experience should inform product design, investment, procurement, service delivery and policymaking, ensuring that their voices influence the systems and solutions intended to support them. About our guest: Nabisubi Renita is a development finance and inclusion leader with more than 15 years of experience advancing digital transformation, enterprise development, youth employment, and disability inclusion across Africa. She currently serves as Lead, Disability Inclusion at the Mastercard Foundation, where she works with teams and partners across countries to advance more inclusive pathways to education, entrepreneurship, employment, financial services, and the digital economy. Pathways to Zero Barriers is a Zero Project podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and subscribe!
