SG Enable partners global initiative Zero Project to advance disability inclusion and enable innovation in Singapore and beyond
30 Nov 2023
SINGAPORE, 30 NOVEMBER 2023 – SG Enable, the focal agency for disability and inclusion in Singapore, inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today with the Zero Project, an Austrian-based non-profit initiative by the Essl Foundation, to advance disability inclusion in Singapore and in the Asia-Pacific through sustainable and innovative solutions.
A dynamic collaboration enabling a vibrant disability innovation ecosystem
This three-year MoU is aligned with SG Enable’s efforts to create a more vibrant disability innovation ecosystem and the Zero Project’s mission of removing barriers through finding and sharing innovative and scalable solutions with proven impact. The MoU also sets the stage for the collaboration to extend its impact beyond Singapore to the Asia-Pacific in the following areas:
- Scaling and replication of innovative solutions that benefit persons with disabilities
- Expanding the reach and impact of existing local innovations by sharing them through
SG Enable’s and the Zero Project’s global networks - Jointly organising annual engagements for stakeholders who share this vision
As part of this partnership, SG Enable will support the replication of innovative solutions with the Zero Project and its global partners (such as Inclusive Creation, a Norway-based social innovation consultancy), and connect local and international innovators to drive the implementation of these solutions in the Asia-Pacific.
CEO of SG Enable, Ms Ku Geok Boon, said: “We want Singapore to be the beacon of inclusion for other countries. Promoting sustainable social innovation is key in our mission, so this partnership with the Zero Project is a great opportunity to exchange best practices with international experts and catalyse greater disability inclusion in Singapore and beyond.”
CEO of the Zero Project, Essl Foundation, Dr Michael Fembek, said: "This collaboration with
SG Enable reflects a new strategic focus on the Asia-Pacific for the Zero Project. The MoU sets the foundation for scaling proven solutions within and beyond the region with an immense potential to positively impact the lives and legal rights of persons with disabilities.”
Inaugural Zero Project x SG Enable Forum
The MoU was signed by Ms Ku and Dr Fembek at the inaugural Zero Project x SG Enable Forum at Enabling Village this morning. The signing was witnessed by Chairman of SG Enable, Mr Moses Lee.
Themed “Enabling Disability Inclusion Through Assistive Technology”, the forum highlighted efforts by various local and international organisations in realising a tech-enabled inclusive world.
About 120 invited guests – including innovators, assistive technology practitioners, academics, government agencies, social service agencies, persons with disabilities and their caregivers – attended panel discussions which featured speakers from organisations such as Microsoft, Hyundai Motor Group, Land Transport Authority, Engineering Good, and local universities. The forum also kickstarted SG Enable’s annual signature event, the Enabling Lives Festival, held in conjunction with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December 2023.