The work of Asphi foundation (from Bologna) at the ZAM Center in Damascus, continues. With the arrival of DeltaWASP in 2017, a new creative possibility-world opens for the disabled children and their parents.
A Delta WASP 2040 is going to Damascus, in Syria, to ZAM, the rehabilitation center supporting Syrian disabled children. With the starting of the new year, the second part of the Asphi Foundation project takes place, a project run with the cooperation of Roman Armadilla, and Unicef, in the areas affected by war.
Thanks to the Click4all kit, which we have already talked about in our blog (more>>), little patients with several disabilities, both physical and cognitive, have successfully used computers, played listened to music, and drawn. It’s a cheap virtual Kit, that allows people to compensate disability, with aids realized with cheap materials like modeling clay, aluminium foil or even fruit, playing with shapes and colors: a pear can easily become a funny mouse easy to use.
New technologies and many wishes: these the results of the first step of the project
One of the problems that a war area, like Syria, is forced to face, is the experts missing: specialized staff like teachers, healthcare assistants, supporting staff, physiotherapists, etc. don’t exist in these areas. This is why Asphi works directly with children’s parents and with volunteers from ZAM center, who devote to improve children’s life.
The results are surprising: “We were amazed by the first project result” Luca Enei, Asphi’s technical responsible, tells. “we have personally experienced that when the need is strong, people roll up their sleeves: a under bombs mother, who has never seen a computer, has already learned everything after three months. Each expectation has been overcome and now with the introduction of 3D printer, we expect big developments and news.” Now we have performed with this kit only in Syria and in some Italian rehabilitating centers, but in the coming year the project is a start up, a work in progress. “we work with the same aim of WASP: to realize easy, low cost and customized supports or let everybody use new technologies. The actual commercial products are standard ones, not so easy to be adjusted: we are working on customizing because we think that this is the right direction to take”.
From Project ton 3Dprinting: new boundaries for ZAM children
If the first step of this project was oriented to software use, with the second step we face the hardware-world. The challenge is to give parents all necessary knowledge to use a DeltaWASP 20 40, and we bet the passion won’t miss.
Four Operators have already learned to use it in the last months in Lebanon, Beirut because due to security reasons, it’s not possible to guarantee a stable permanence on Syrian territory, so the training takes place at distance and continues through skype-meeting. Now the printer goes to Damascus’ mothers. It will be possible to build simple and important educational objects, games, and supports realized with poor materials (handles or grips to hold pens, brushes, or forks).
“A new World opens from an educational point of view, Enei continues-. Let’s think to blind men: braille writing connected to particular objects, tactile supports reproducing commands. The field is very wide: it’s now time of creativity. We are curious to know how this journey is going on”.