YPSA (Young Power in Social Action) and SUNY Korea (The State University of New York Korea) launched a project on Redesigning Mobility Aid For Challenging Environments. The other partners of this project are Arizona State University of USA and Hellenic Mediterranean University of Greece. This research project recently won the Creating Hope in Conflict: A Humanitarian Grand Challenge award. Grand Challenges Canada, USAID, DFID, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of The Kingdom of the Netherlands are the co-sponsors of this award.This joint research team is working on 3D printed customizable ‘shoes’ for crutches and canes for Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals(FDMNs) and the host community.
This launching ceremony was held at virtual platform on 20 Novemebr’20. Md. Arifur Rahman, Chief Executive of YPSA, inaugurated this launching ceremony.This project plans to develop and test an alternative design for the rubber shoe of mobility aids such as crutches and canes. This cost-effective design would function better in challenging environments such as unprepared and unpaved surfaces.
Dr. Suzana Brown, Project Lead and Assistant Professor, Department of Technology and Society, SUNY Korea;Dr. Achilles Vairis, Professor, Hellenic Mediterranean University, Greece; and Dr. Faheem Hussain,Clinical Assistant Professor, School for the Future of Innovation in Society, Arizona State University, USA were present in this virtual project launching program. Mr. Abdus Sabur, Program Manager, YPSA and Mr. Abu Taher, Field Coordinator, YPSA moderated this program.
In his inauguration speech, Md. Arifur Rahman, Chief Executive, YPSA acknowledged and thanked the NGO Affairs Bureau, and the Prime Minister Office of the Government of Bangladesh for approving this research project. He also conveyed his gratitude to the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner’s (RRRC) Office, Cox’s Bazar for providing support and cooperation on implementing the project. He also thanked SUNY Korea and project scholars for working with YPSA in such innovative and action oriented projects. Mr. Rahmanhopes that the outcome of research will brings a good results to disadvantages people, Persons With Disabilities (PWD) and aged people mainly who uses crutches.
In the concluding speech,Dr. Faheem Hussain of Arizona State University, USA thanked YPSA for its continuing support and management of the field research. He stressed on the continuing collaboration between YPSA, SUNY Korea, Hellenic Mediterranean University and Arizona State University. It is worth mentioning that YPSA is already an official partner of ASU in international development research. For details of the project and project team please browse: https://www.mobilityaid.org.
