Design with Uganda Designing for those with disabilities in rural communities. Charles Williams Luis Garcia Jennifer Vandermeer Zoe Krug

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1 Design with Uganda Designing for those with disabilities in rural communities Charles Williams Luis Garcia Jennifer Vandermeer Zoe Krug

2 1 Introduction 2 Group Research 3 Individual Research & Concepts

3 The Uganda Project Uganda Capital: Kampala Official languages: English & Swahili Population: 35.8 Million Area: km2 Working with CanUgan and KADUPEDI to colectively design mobility devices and tools for people with disabilities in Kasese, Uganda. Kasese District Population: Close proximity to Lakes George & Edward Originally built around mining industry National Park ~350 km from Kampala

4 1 Introduction 2 Group Research 3 Individual Research & Concepts

5 Community Involvment Engineers Without Boarders Skype with KADUPEDI CanUgan Fundraiser African Studies Presentation Exchange

6 DISABILITY & POVERTY Other Issues: The existing tricycle has enabled PWD to do many things they otherwise wouldn t be capable of doing. Disability However, there are still limitations and barriers that the existing tricycle can not overcome. For example, it is great for traveling long distances, but is too bulky for indoor use. Agriculture makes up 75% of income generation in rural areas. Poverty However, PWD have an extremely hard time doing agriculture because it is very labour intensive and is not accessible. Wome with disabilities are consistently treated less fairly and have less opportunities than similarly-abled men in almost every aspect of life, including, but not limited to: Disability and poverty can easily turn into a cycle: living in poverty makes it more likely to get a disability, and living with a disability makes it more likely to fall into poverty. -education -jobs & income generation -health care -support -mobility devices -attitudes towards them

7 Group Design Objectives Kasese Made The design must allow Kio to build and locally source the materials. Cost The design must be produced with low cost materials and labour. Environment The design must have the ability to withstand various environmental conditions. Empowerment The design must create a sense of empowerment among its users.

8 1 Introduction 2 Group Research 3 Individual Research & Concepts

9 Ending the poverty of most people in the world who now survive on less than a dollar a day requires the creation of a transformed agriculture that develops labor-intensive cash crops and the cultivation methods capable of optimizing income on one-acre farms -Paul Polak, 2008 Agriculture is the driving source of It is present in the everyday life of most Ugandans as almost every rural Ugandan owns small scale farm for susbsistent farming. Currently disabled people are not able to contribute to the farming process due to inadequate tools. Opportunity lies in improving farming systems and the integration of disabled people in the community through the use of a better system or device. According to Paul Polack, Low-cost, small scale farming is a proven way of creating wealth in poverty striken communities Using improved gardening and irrigation systems farmers are able to increase their yield rates These systems have the potential to positively impact roughly 2.2 billion people living in small farms Growing and selling high value crops during off season times is the most efficient way for farmers to create wealth and move out of poverty (Polack, 2008) Luis Garcia Solution will enable people to cultivate and maintain vegetable gardens Upkeep of vegetable garden will hopefully not only improve family nutrition but will also help the family generate income through the selling of excess crops Working towards enabling disabled people to take control over their food sources through innovative ways to garden and irrigate crops. Uganda very low yield rates compared to countries that experience similar climate and soil conditions (The World Bank, 1993) 75% crops, livestock and beer (Cornick J.D 1992) Create an accessible way of gardening in order to improve yield rates to positively impact the lives of many rural farmers in Uganda.

10 Research Current Scenario Farming plots are too large to manage Vegetables are hard to tend as they are out reach for people in tricycles or wheelchairs Farming is an everyday activity from which disabled people are excluded from. Target Users Existing Products Sack Gardens: Built using only a grain storage sack, and a few wooden poles, this garden helps people grow their crops in a safe, sustainable and accessible way. Its vertical configuration also helps irrigate crops evenly. Proposed Scenario Make farming plots easier to manage by making garden more accessible System or device that helps bring vegetables closer to people in tricycles or wheelchairs Make farming inclusive for disabled people The target users for this project are mobility impaired people with a desire to generate more food and income through the cultivation of high value crops in Kasese, Uganda. Key Hole Garden: This layered design for a garden helps improve crop yeild rates by improving health of soil and plant life. Layering effects mimics natural forest ecologies IDE Drip Irrigation: Provides cheap and affordable irrigation for small scale farming. This system helps farmers grow crops during off-seasons, when the vegetables grown can be sold at a higher price.

11 Design Objectives Use Cycle: Make use cycle as straight forward as possible. Use Cycle Reparability: Design should be easily and locally serviced. Accessibility: Design should be made accessible to the most people possible. Ergonomics: Design should be ergonomical to many ranges of body types Horticulture Sustenance Repairability Horticulture: Design should always follow/facilitate horticulture techniques. Ergonomics Accessibility

12 Concept Development Together with KADUPEDI and CanUgan, my goal is to find the best possible solutions that enable people to gain control; over their food sources and potential profit. Mind Map Early Concepts Mind Map helped understand relationship between water accessibility and agriculture Mind Map also helped identify recurring and root problems about water accessibility and agriculture I decided to focus on the collection of water and more effective ways of using water Based on feedback, water pump was chosen as direction to follow. Refined concepts for CanUgan A water collection method for the irrigation system. Because drip irrigation is very water efficient, I believe it is possible to design a way to collect and store enough water to be able to irrigate a small plot of land (1/4 acre) Due to lack water sources in Kasese, a system of a water source and pump is needed. After presenting my concepts to CanUgan, it was evident that the system being looked at was dependant on too many unknown variables to solve in 8 months A pump powered by the CanUgan and KADUPEDI tricycle. Because the terrain in the Kasese district is very mountainous, it is very likely that a pump will be needed to push the water through the irrigation line.

13 ...kitchen gardens which most PWDs would be able to manage at home other than going far distances, this would also improve family nutrition and income generation... - KADUPEDI Create ways of making a simpler, more manageable, forms of gardening for disabled people. Miniturize vegetable gardens and create ways in which disabled people could cultivate and maintain such gardens. An was sent to KADUPEDI with two concepts and a few questions to narrow down on the final direction. Questions asked where: What vegetables would you describe as the toughest to grow? What vegetables or plant would you describe as having the highest value in term of price at a market? tools do they use? Which tools are the most useful? Are small-scale irrigation systems currently available to people in Kasese?

14 Concept 1 Accessible Kitchen Garden: Possible Configurations Planting vertically results in more efficient use of land Raised, circular kitchen garden accessible from the tricycle. This garden would facilitate the cultivation of high value crops that can later be used for food and profit. Gardens would include an easily accessible irrgation system to maximize the growth of the crops. Can add holes on side for more planting space Vertical format can results in simpler irrigation systems Two planting levels Raised bottom levels brings vegetable closer

15 Concept 2 Rolling Gardening Chair: Small rolling garden chair that the disabled person can sit on to tend their kitchen garden on the ground. This would hopefully facilitate the management of a kitchen garden Bent tubing construction Rough tires for all terrain Rotating seat for improved mobility Tool storage space

16 Next Steps Recieve necessary feedback from KADUPEDI to make best choice on focus. Prototyping design: Will help give a better grasp into how my final design migth be constructed, processes and materials. Testing design: Will inform ergonomics behind design and how it will be used/percieved by people. Lather, rinse, repeat: Back and forth between prototypeand testing to perfecct design. Send drawings to KADUPEDI so prototyping stage can statr in Uganda.

17 Economic Empowerment of Women in Uganda Zoe Krug

18 TARGET USER SCENARIO Women face a long list of challenges unique to only them. I am focusing on the issue of economic empowerment. Giving women financial independence will improve their self esteem as well as the attitudes of the communitiy and society towards them. These two conditions could be catalysts for many other positive changes in the near future regarding women with disabilities. Women often do handicrafts such as sewing, papier mache, weaving, knitting, and beading. Further, they may have produce they would like to sell. Disabled women face not only the challenge of travelling to the market, but also carrying the heavy loads containing the goods to be sold. MARKET? CONTACTS -Biira Mary Yalala, chairperson at KADIWOD (Kasese District of Women with Disabilities). -Biira Sylvia, a landmine survivor and amputee. [WWD] are weak to carry heavy loads to markets -Biira Mary Yalala Additionally, these women have no way to organize or showcase the goods, which are typically stored and shown on the ground.

19 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS SAFETY The device must be safe. Safety is of highest priority. This means operating the device in conjunction with and from the existing tricycle must be safe for the user. ACCESSIBILITY Because this device is designed for disabled women, it must be accessible. It must be easy to use with a mobility disability and in conjunction with the tricycle. AFFORDABLE Because people with disabilities in Uganda also often live below the poverty line, this device must be affordable. LOCAL This device must take advantage of local materials and labour. This will contribute to the affordability, and ensure the work is staying within the community. It also means the device will be locally repairable. TERRAIN The terrain in Uganda is often very rugged. Additionally, the roads are not always paved. The device needs to be okay on rough terrain. PROTECTIVE This device needs to protect the goods it is transporting. Because these goods are sold for a profit, broken items will directly lessen the income of the user. COMFORTABLE This device needs to be comfortable enough for the user to use this frequently.

20 CONCEPT 1: CREATE & SELL CREATE... This concept combines my initial market cart idea with my workspace idea. The workspace attachment serves as a surface on which to create handicrafts in an efficient and organized way....transport... The goods can be stored in the container on the back of the tricycle. The work space swings around back so as not to inhibit the user s ability to pedal. This allows users to transport goods to the market to be sold. CREATE TRAVEL SELL & SHOWCASE Once at the market, the user can swing the work space to the side so as to show off and sell goods in a more polished, but still accessible way. TRAVEL SHOWCASE STORE

21 CONCEPT 2: JEWELLERY TRAVEL SELL STOCK... Because jewellery and beading is a common handicraft, this box-like device has hooks similar to what retailers here use now, to hold and organize jewellery. This product can be stocked in the open position, before heading to the market....transport... Once stocked, the box is closed with a latch and stored on the back of the tricycle while the user pedals to the market. & SHOWCASE Once at the market, the box is unlatched, exposing the jewellery inside from the back of the tricycle. Advertising and organizing goods in this way creates a competitive advantage over other sellers who sell from the ground. JEWELLERY ON THE BACK OF THE TRIKE

22 CONCEPT 3: CLOTHING SIMILAR CONCEPT... This product works on the same principles as the last concept: it can be prestocked and transported to the market on the back of the tricycle. SELL CLOTHING...DIFFERENT CONFIGURATION However, the shelves on this configuration afford organizing, storing and selling clothing instead. Extra storage allows the user to bring extra stock and refill the shelves when needed. STORE ON THE BACK OF THE TRIKE

23 CONCEPT 4: PRODUCE INSPIRED BY: The tennis ball hopper. STOCK... This basket-like product can be stocked, handles in the upright position, with produce before transport.... TRANSPORT... These baskets can be transported on the back of the tricycle to the market to be sold. & SHOWCASE Once at the market, the basket handles can be flipped around, creating a raised surface from which to showcase and sell produce.

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33 Jennifer Vandermeer Both primary and secondary research confirmed that in the country of Uganda, children with disabilities presented a significant need for assistive devices. The final design will create a sense of empowerment because it will enable children to either contribute to the family. 49% of Uganda s population is younger than 15 years of age.

34 Hand Pedal Tricycle Huckstep Wheelchair Donated Wheelchair Positives Ability to travel long distances Preferred by those wanting to start a business Durability for rural areas Concept Area More suitable for indoor and domestic use Durability for rural areas Can be built and fixed locally Foldable, easy to take on public transportation Suitable for indoor use Negatives Not suitable for indoors. Cannot be taken on public transportation Not foldable, cannot be taken on public transportation Can be described as bulky Lack of durability Imported and can not be fixed locally Donated wheelchairs most often come in adult sizes Information taken from: Feasibility study on production and provision of wheelchairs and tricycles in Uganda a SINTEF Report.

35 Based on already existing products produced for the North American market, there is an opportunity to eliminate this gap by creating a tricycle with a detachable third wheel that is specifically designed to be manufactured and used by children in Kasese, Uganda. A B

36 Design Objectives Wheelchair Design Modify existing tricycle dimensions to transform into a huckstep wheelchair. Secure System Design an attachment system to strongly secure A to B and that is simple enough for a child to use. Tilting Base Design an easy to use attachment system that tilts the front end of A off the ground. Top: Motivation tricycle Middle Left: Speedy Micro Middle Right: Free Wheel Bottom Right: Dragonfly Compatible Third Wheel Ensure front wheel is compatible with the entire system and that can be locally sourced and built.

37 The Frame

38 1 2 Concept One A concept that involves securing the mechanism then pulling a handle to incline the wheelchair. 3 4

39 1 3 Concept Two A concept that you roll over and by tilting the front wheel forwards the wheelchair tilts backwards until it hooks on another tube, securing it in place. 2 4

40 Next Steps Design Development Finish the model in Solidworks by adding wheels and then run simulation to analyze the wheelchairs structure. Testing Plans Picking one concept and develop it further by producing larger scale models. Talk to Kio Address some issues with Kio over Skype to discover more ideas and eliminate some barriers. Continue Sketching Keeping a sketching record of ideas throughout the entire design process.

41 Thank you!