In Uganda, over 68% of individuals with disabilities lack access to digital applications due to language barriers. Recognizing this challenge, we are excited to introduce SmartNote and Trusted Eyes, two innovative local apps designed specifically to ensure that persons with visual impairments can access vital information and participate more fully in society.

SmartNote

SmartNote is crafted to help visually impaired individuals manage their finances with confidence. The app utilizes audio technology to identify and differentiate between all Ugandan banknotes, allowing users to make transactions independently.
Importantly, SmartNote does not just cater to English speakers; it has been rigorously tested to translate financial information into several local languages, including Luganda, Lunyoro, Runyakore, Ateso, and Kiswahili.

Expected Benefits:

📌Enhanced Financial Independence: Empowering individuals to manage cash without assistance reduces dependency and fosters autonomy.

📌Inclusive Economic Participation: Encouraging visually impaired persons to engage fully in economic activities and transactions.

Trusted Eyes: A Visual Assistant for Everyday Navigation

Trusted Eyes is a visual assistant app that offers real-time support for visually impaired users by translating voice information into selected local Ugandan languages.

This ensures that critical information is accessible and comprehensible, enhancing daily navigation and interaction.

Expected Outcomes:

📌Improved Mobility: Facilitating easier navigation in communities and promoting a sense of belonging.

📌Community Inclusion: Bridging the gap and fostering collaboration with the visually impaired, creating a more inclusive society.

📌Building Local Support: Engaging the community in supporting individuals with visual impairments.

Collaborative Development Efforts

These prototypes have been created through a collaborative effort involving NUDIPU (National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda), the Uganda Communication Commission, telecom companies, and various tech civil society organizations. This partnership ensures that the apps are designed with the real needs of visually impaired individuals in mind.

Looking Ahead

The next three months will focus on piloting these transformative apps, followed by a public launch aimed at raising awareness about their benefits and functionalities. Our goal is to help 5,000 visually impaired people gain digital independence, addressing the shortcomings of existing applications that are limited to English and unable to process old banknotes.

With SmartNote and Trusted Eyes, we are paving the way for a future where visually impaired individuals can seamlessly participate in society, empower their financial decisions, and navigate their environments with confidence.

CEO Remarks Esther Kyozira

We are thrilled about the potential impact that our innovative applications, SmartNote and Trusted Eyes, will have on the local communities we serve. By translating cash notes into local languages and facilitating navigation, these apps are designed to empower individuals with visual impairments and enhance their everyday lives.

However, it is essential that we ensure these technologies remain affordable. Many existing applications are prohibitively expensive and do not cater to local language speakers, limiting access for those who need them most. Our goal is to create accessible solutions that serve all categories of persons with disabilities.

To the trainees who are currently engaged in the review of these prototypes, I urge you to focus on raising awareness about these invaluable tools. It is crucial that we support our communities in embracing technology at the grassroots level.

I would also like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) for their unwavering support in enabling persons with disabilities to harness the benefits of technology and improve their quality of life.