About the SAATE 2023
Find Better AT Solutions & Build Better AT Products
The Southern Africa Federation of the Disabled (SAFOD) will organize the Southern Africa Assistive Technology EXPO (SAATE) jointly with its partners from 23th to 26th November 2023.
With the main theme, “Wake up and do it for yourself: To promote and advance local AT solutions for Southern Africa,” the SAATE will be held physically and virtually. The first SAATE was initially planned to take place at Ramatex Conference Centre in Windhoek, Namibia, from 24 to 26 June 2020, but was later postponed to 14 - 17 September 2021 due to the coronavirus situation globally. The continued prolongation of the Covid-19 situation once again forced the event to be postponed from 24 to 26 November 2023, to be held in Gauteng, South Africa. To minimize the effects of Covid-19, the organizers have now opted for a hybrid format (physical and virtual). The event will be preceded by the three-day Regional Roundtable Forum.
The good news is that the registration to exhibit AT products for both free and premium exhibitors is underway. Those who want to exhibit AT products either as free or premium exhibitors have their own application form. They are not required to buy any other participation tickets. Premium exhibitors are required to pay the exhibition fees only based on the relevant exhibition package they are applying for.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR FIRST ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY WEBINAR IN SEPTEMBER 2021
With the main theme focused on "Assistive Technology Business Innovations," SAFOD and Loughborough University organized this webinar from 28th to 29th September 2021 as a prelude to the Southern Africa Assistive Technology Expo (SAATE) in November 2022. Learn more about the webinar here.
HOW TO JOIN US AT THE SAATE 2022
Are you an AT manufacturer, supplier, or service provider interested to showcase you AT? Do you want to demonstrate how AT can enhance the independent living for persons with disabilities – especially in a Southern African environment – to a wide audience consisting of persons with disabilities and their families, Governments, AT procurement personnel, NGOs, etc.? Here is a rare opportunity to do so!
You can participate either for free or as a premium exhibitor at the SAATE 2022. All you are required to do is to ensure that your AT(s) fall in any of the six Thematic Areas. ATs designed for the Southern African environment will be given higher priority. Locally designed or manufactured ATs will be given the highest priority.
You can join us by registering online to exhibit your AT products by 10 November 2022. Select an exhibition category based on the maximum size of the exhibition space you plan to use and pay for the corresponding price.
Before you start or finish to fill out the registration form, be sure that you have read, understood, and agreed to the terms and conditions before processing any online payments and hitting the submit button. You can find the terms and conditions at the bottom of the registration form itself.
Register Here Now
THEMATIC AREAS FOR THE SAATE 2022
- Right to AT for inclusive education, including in Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE).
- Right to AT for Disability-inclusive Disaster Risk and Reduction (DiDRR) and other humanitarian settings.
- Right to AT for inclusive employment (formal and informal).
- Right to AT for arts, crafts, and other creative expressions.
- Right to AT for home (daily living aids, adaptive environments) and community living (moving about, accessible buildings, transportation, voting, recreation).
Exhibitions
BRING YOUR AT PRODUCTS TO LIGHT AT THE SAATE 2022
Assistive Technology (AT) includes a wide range of technology products that are used to support persons with disabilities as they work, learn, play and live in their communities.
Some examples of AT include crutches, wheelchairs, ramps, hearing aids, Braille printers, adaptive software, and communication devices, just to mention a few.
The SAATE seeks to showcase different types of AT and become a platform on which different stakeholders - including Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), suppliers, and manufacturers - can explore the best AT product delivery models for Southern Africa. Most importantly, the Expo seeks to advance local innovations of appropriate AT solutions, products, and services.
Volunteer
SAFOD is calling for inspired online volunteers to help with managing the SAATE 2022. The period for volunteering is so flexible. Volunteers can choose to work for the entire preparatory period, or for a specific period before, during, or post SAATE 2022. Volunteer assignments can be accomplished both online and physically (during the SAATE 2022).
Published on the UN Volunteer platform, we have various flexible online roles ranging from helping out with marketing the SAATE 2022 to website updating and editing. If you don't to use the UN platform, you can also apply on this website and suggest the roles you would like to play. We will review your application and revert as early as possible.
We are also looking for volunteers who can help with fundraising, video marketing of the events, and many more roles.
Partner With Us
We welcome NGOs, academia, Governments, companies, etc, willing to become our strategic partners.
