Nigerian Data-Lead Africa Foundation (DLAF) has been selected as one of the winners of the Uplink Corporate Changemakers Challenge for 2023, established by the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship.
The Deaf-In-Tech project of DLAF has won recognition for its creative strategy for bridging the gap between the deaf community and the tech industry in Africa from
This was disclosed in a statement signed by Engineer Nkpecha Franklin, the Head of Operations Data-Lead Africa.
With this accomplishment, DLAF became the first social enterprise from Nigeria to triumph in the Uplink Corporate Changemakers Challenge.
Over 100 submissions from intrapreneurs in a variety of industries were received for the Corporate Changemakers Challenge, and DLAF was named alongside other international brands like Ericsson, Givaudan International, Google.org, Mastercard, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Philips, and the grassroots initiative of Zurich Insurance Company. Each winner was selected based on their capacity to enhance their respective companies’ bottom lines while promoting social and environmental equity.
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The Deaf-In-Tech project from DLAF is an ed-tech inclusion initiative that aims to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in STEM, data analytics, higher education, and the workforce. It aims to close the skill gap that exists among marginalised people, especially those who have disabilities (PLWD).
PLWD are one of the main marginalised groups in low- and middle-income countries, and while numerous initiatives have focused on racial diversity and gender equality, the number of initiatives aimed at enhancing PLWD inclusion is appallingly low.
Over 200 deaf people are currently involved in DLAF’s first and largest deaf tech community in the world, which was founded in Africa. This community is dedicated to learning about and developing cutting-edge technologies.
Through instruction in data analytics, edtech, and research methodologies, The Deaf-In-Tech aims to fairly upskill the abilities of the deaf/hearing impaired and increase their employability. Due to their special characteristics and unusual learning requirements, PLWDs typically do not have access to learning data analytics, despite it being one of the most in-demand skills in higher education, the workforce, and labour markets.
The victory of DLAF in the Corporate Changemakers Challenge is proof of the effectiveness of social entrepreneurship in generating beneficial social and environmental impact while benefiting businesses. Through social entrepreneurship, DLAF and the other winners have shown their dedication to having a significant impact on social and environmental issues.
The Deaf-In-Tech project has the potential to develop a more inclusive and diverse tech sector in Africa, and we are dedicated to fostering social entrepreneurship to advance positive social impact for disadvantaged groups.
We congratulate all of the winners and eagerly await to see how their initiatives will contribute to a better world.
The Schwab Foundation
The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship is a leading global platform that accelerates outstanding models of social innovation.
It is a Swiss not-for-profit organisation founded in 1998 that provides platforms at the country, regional and global levels to promote social entrepreneurship. The foundation is under the legal supervision of the Swiss Federal Government.
Data-Lead Africa
Data-Lead Africa is a consulting firm providing world-class data analytics and strategic consulting services. Data is their raw material, and they deploy exceptional skills in statistics, research methods and Information technology to process data into insightful quantifiable results.