Inclusive Innovation at the Heart of Disability Work in the DRC

“Design is not a luxury it is a necessity for dignity, autonomy, and equality.”

Our research aims to bring expertise in engineering and product design to a consortium of disability specialists. The goal is to build and implement a design methodology centered on the real needs of people with disabilities, even in the absence of SDG 17. This innovation process must fit the unique organizational structure of an association and adapt to the challenges of the assistive technology market.

Through various projects with Equal Access Innovators, we have been gradually shaping a practical methodology for inclusive innovation. It is rooted in real-world experience and developed through concrete phases of analysis, design, and testing. These examples highlight both the challenges and the opportunities of creating solutions that match the realities of disability.

In the DRC, one in three working-age individuals reports having a health condition or disability. Across all age groups, this represents about 20% of the Congolese population nearly 10 million people. In such a context, accessibility is not optional. It is essential.

A product or service must be easy to understand regardless of the user’s experience, knowledge, language skills, or level of concentration. That is why I often say:

“A truly applied design is one that embraces human diversity, social inclusion, and equality.”

Yet even when a program is adapted, it may still not work as expected. Sometimes, it remains difficult or even impossible to use. This reminds us how complex, yet crucial, inclusive design really is.

For example, in my own daily use of technology, I prefer dark mode on almost everything Word, PowerPoint, Excel, social media (except LinkedIn). Still, accessibility problems continue to appear. So I observe, I study, I adapt…

Design is meaningful to me, but mastering it has taken time.

A small lesson I’ve learned: “More patience, less rushing.” That mindset is what allows real innovation to grow.