The red carpet was rolled out at last week's Science Forum South Africa event to honour the country's grassroots innovators. The Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) hosted the Grassroots Innovation Programme (GIP) Awards to celebrate young innovators and recognise the contributions of individuals with disabilities.
Fifteen grassroots innovators whose technologies and solutions drive socio-economic development and job creation in South Africa received awards.
The GIP is an initiative of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) that is implemented by its entity, the TIA, to support inventors and innovators who may lack formal education or access to formal innovation facilities.
Its goal is to identify and support innovators who use local resources and capabilities to solve local challenges. It offers a multi-tiered support package, including technical assistance, funding and incentives. The TIA also partners with public and private institutions to provide additional support.
The Deputy Minister of STI, Ms Nomalungelo Gina, praised the TIA's efforts during her address at the gala dinner event, which took place on Thursday, 5 December.
"I appreciate the good work that has been done by the TIA, but above it all I appreciate the work done by all the small, medium and micro enterprises and the entrepreneurs that are here today to make sure the country creates the economy that works for everyone," said the Deputy Minister.
For the first time since its inception in 2019, the TIA has created a category to celebrate innovators who show exceptional commitment to the inclusion of people with disabilities.
This initiative, the Deputy Minister said, resonated with her personally. "As a woman and a person living with a disability who has faced exclusion in many ways, I am inspired by the opportunities being created here. These opportunities empower individuals to innovate, support themselves, and make meaningful contributions. Let us continue to embrace and expand these efforts wholeheartedly."
Ms Shakila Maharaj received the first prize in the 2024 Disability Innovation Award for developing the ShazaCin Accessible Media mobile app, which acts as an access tool and an art form that uses the spoken word to make the visual world accessible to blind people.
Ms Maharaj, a visually impaired social entrepreneur, has over 40 years' experience in the disability sector and 10 years in audio description. A seasoned researcher, she is also globally recognised as a disability strategist. Her projects have been recognised for breaking down barriers, fostering accessibility, and enhancing the overall quality of life for individuals with disabilities.
"The world we are living in is becoming increasingly visual. Information and communication are shifting to visual-based platforms, such as smart technologies, social media platforms and the internet," she said, adding that key activities such as work and entertainment are all shifting to such platforms, which increasingly socially and economically isolate people who are blind. The app uses assistive technology to bridge this gap.
"This created a sense of urgency for me to make the world aware that blind persons live in a visual world. We do not live in darkness; we use our imagination to see and should be fully integrated into this visual landscape," she explained.
The app leverages audio description to describe visual content in line with international standards for those who cannot see. It enables visually impaired users to follow content on a big screen, TV or external monitors, and even extends to real-time and still-image description
Ms Gina admitted that there are challenges, particularly with funding for innovation, "but hearing a woman share her journey and aspirations tonight fills me with hope. It shows the impact of the opportunities provided. To the TIA team, thank you for making this possible, even with the constraints you face. Your efforts are truly appreciated."
Dr Mmboneni Muofhe, Deputy Director-General: Socio Economic Innovation Partnerships at the DSTI, also addressed the awards ceremony, saying that South Africa will not be successful if it excludes the majority of its population.
"This is why we would deliberately be focusing on empowering women in this country, through innovation," said Dr Muofhe.
Acting CEO at the TIA, Mr Patrick Krappie, said the government had invested over R33 million in the Living Labs programme, which develops centres for innovation and entrepreneurship for young people, mainly in poor rural areas. The Living Labs train young people and host graduates to develop socio-economic solutions to local problems.
"All we need to do is to be ingenious, and the innovators who are here today are a testament that it is possible with the little that we are able to do together," said Mr Krappie.
In the coming weeks, the TIA will be launching two special programmes – Women in Innovation and Innovation for Persons with Disabilities – and has called on potential funders to partner with government in taking the country forward.
