Our Innovation to Help the Blind

By Yvan Sangwa and Iradukunda Clement

Yvan Sangwa and Iradukunda Clement designed a solar-powered walking stick for the blind using resources available in ASYV's Gelfand Family Science Center.

In western, eastern, and central sub-Saharan Africa, 80% of people with vision impairment do not receive treatment for the issue. In Rwanda, vision impairment affects more than 400,000 people. Our research found that without aids, the condition has a negative influence on people’s health, increasing the risk of collisions and falling. Most cannot go outside without a person to guide them, and they do not have jobs. Many are beggars. Many die.

Our team—Yvan and Clement—decided we can’t just stand aside seeing the blind suffer in the dark. We believe they have many talents and can realize their potential and be productive members of society. They just need a way to safely navigate the world on their own. That is why we decided to develop a new automatic walking cane that uses innovative and sustainable technologies.

As we worked together to develop a prototype, the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village staff provided us with guidance. And we used the equipment in the Village’s Gelfand Family Science Center, including its new 3D printer. Our stick has a solar panel, two sensors—one in the front and one on the bottom, a battery pack, and one button. If the stick senses an object when the person holding it is moving, it vibrates, warning the user of the object ahead of them.

In Rwanda, only one company provides a service similar to ours, and their cane is not affordable for most. We would like to launch a start-up called Blind Supporter that provides this service at a far more affordable price. Our office will also have a toll-free number that our customers could call in case of emergency. As they grow accustomed to navigating new places and doing new activities, people will become more confident and independent. We are so thrilled about the possibility of creating a solution that could help so many people—perhaps even millions—across the continent.

Yvan and Clement demonstrate how to use their walking stick.