The African continent shows the way with 6 projects already to be funded

It hasn’t been long ago that here in IEEE Region 8 Today we shared with you that IEEE HAC and IEEE SIGHT, two of IEEE’s humanitarian programs joined forces prioritizing proposals that have a strong potential for immediate impact in the fight against COVID-19.

Already 6 projects from IEEE Region 8 got funded, with all of them having something in common; they are from the African area of our Region, coming from the IEEE Sections of South Africa – Uganda and Nigeria.

Below we present you the already funded projects.

 

IEEE South Africa Section

  • COVID-19 Visualization and Analytics for Southern Africa

An inter-disciplinary group of volunteers including epidemiologists, physicists, statisticians, software engineers and data scientists launched a comprehensive dashboard on 22 March to cover the development and modelling of COVID-19 in South Africa and other African countries. The proposal will develop advanced visualization, analytics and modelling for the dashboard.

IEEE Uganda Section 

  • Reusable Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Vulnerable Frontline Health Workers in Uganda

Make Sustainable Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for vulnerable frontline health workers against Coronavirus and other related diseases.

  • COVID-19 Prevention & Reduction Through Community Sensitization

Sensitizing Ugandan communities about the COVID-19 pandemic through communication channels that they can best access and understand such as illustrations and infographics, videos, radio and TV talk shows, and text messages. Materials will be produced in partnership with the Uganda Ministry of Health and in various languages (English, Swahili, Luganda, Atteso, and Luo).

  • Locally Made Reusable Masks for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Camps and COVID-19 Awareness Program

Respond to the immediate needs of the most vulnerable Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) through provision of WASH facilities (washing stations), training on prevention of COVID 19, supply of re-usable, locally-made masks, and the distribution of hygiene promotion materials.

**HAC and SIGHT will support the mask-making part of the project, but not in person IEEE volunteer activities in the camp

  • Protection for Frontline Workers in the COVID-19 Response

This project proposes to employ 3D printing technologies to assist in the COVID-19 response by helping the country to address some gaps in the medical supplies deficit. The team will make 3D-printed full face shields based on the open-source designs by 3D Verkstan and making them available for use by frontline health workers.

IEEE Nigeria Section

  • Internet Access as Palliative to Enhance Online Skill Acquisition at UgbowoCommunity, Edo State

Reduce the digital divide and brain drain caused as a result of the lockdown during COVID-19 in a small community. People forced to stay indoors due to the global pandemic will have internet access to access selected e-learning content.

 

You still have the time to submit your proposal for your project as the submission has been extended to June 1st. Detailed information about the submission process and all projects being funded can be found at COVID-19 Projects of IEEE HAC.