A Vietnamese NGO where blind and low-vision engineers lead development of free screen-reader-compatible software (Braille transcription, text-to-speech, e-book reading); Zero Project-recognised in 2021.
Sao Mai Center for the Blind (SMCB), founded in 2001 in Ho Chi Minh City, builds its own accessible software stack — an e-book reader, a Braille translation tool, Vietnamese and Burmese text-to-speech engines and a music reader for blind musicians — designed to work with screen readers such as JAWS and NVDA.
Results
By 2020, SMCB's three flagship products had logged more than 13,000 downloads, and the Center had trained over 600 assistive-technology resource technicians and more than 5,500 blind or low-vision people directly; the Zero Project recognised the work in 2021.
Implementation
Indicative cost
Medium (€50k–€500k)
Time to results
Long (> 3 years)
Staffing & skills
blind and low-vision software engineers leading development, trainers for assistive-technology resource technicians
Conditions for success
hiring blind engineers to lead development so accessibility is tested from lived experience rather than audited after the fact
paying staff under the same salary and benefits scheme regardless of disability status
Commonly funded by
Philanthropic / foundation funding
Indicative funding routes for practices of this type — always check each programme's current calls and eligibility rules.
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Data sources
Where this practice's information was retrieved from, and when.
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