InnoKg Challenge Winners: Digital learning for deaf kids, online doctors and English learning platform

June 11, 2020

This initiative is designed to provide quick, diverse and effective solutions to address the impact of the virus. UNDP supported three innovative projects for a total amount of $25,000. The contest generated speedy, diverse and effective solutions designed to tackle the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and address the acute needs of the vulnerable populations. The best ideas to address the social and economic impacts of the pandemic are here: The best ideas for addressing the social and economic impact of the pandemic are here:

First place was given to the idea of involving children with hearing impairment in digital learning systems, we support this initiative jointly with UNICEF Kyrgyzstan. Digital resources will be developed for children with hearing impairment.

According to the Kyrgyz Society for the Blind and Deaf, more than 5,000 citizens with hearing loss are registered in the Republic today. Every year about 100 children with congenital deafness are born. At preschool age, the number of children with hearing impairment increases due to acquired hearing impairment. That is why this problem is urgent, and its solution is one of the most demanded. The development of digital resources for children with hearing impairment in pre-school preparation for school will include materials such as:

  • ABCs for pre-school hearing impaired children, followed by the tactile (finger) alphabet
  • animated materials
  • basic arithmetic
  • Interactive game tests

The developed resources will be presented in the form of web applications hosted on the site, as well as mobile applications available on Play Market.

These resources will take into account psychological characteristics and perception abilities that help stimulate cognitive development of children with hearing loss. The project has the following important challenges to address:

  • Decrease discrimination against children with hearing loss by ensuring equal access to education;
  • Get a better adaptation to inclusive education;
  • Help children with hearing loss to gain some independence and autonomy to live and communicate.

Second place is given to PrimeDoc. It is a service for remote online consultations with experienced doctors. Kyrgyz people will be able to choose the right doctor and consult with him/her via phone or laptop. In this case, the patient's location will not matter.

The necessary staff is already ready for this: more than 25 doctors in 12 directions, including the medical consultants. These operators are available even at night. Doctors work from 08:00 to 18:00. Doctor on duty is available 7 days a week from 08:00 to 22:00. PrimeDoc is a telemedicine service on request for online prescriptions with experienced doctors. The service will enable all residents of Kyrgyzstan to select a suitable doctor on the website and receive a remote consultation. The project will be implemented in Bishkek. PrimeDoc will help residents of all regions of Kyrgyzstan to get advice absolutely free during quarantine.

Project will benefit all those who have lost their savings and incurred debts. Telemedicine will save on travel to doctors and help reduce the burden on the primary health care system, as well as provide 24-hour support to people from all over the country. 

Third place was awarded to the English language learning system. DynEd is an award-winning (more than 40 international awards) multimedia learning program that enables those who need it to develop English language skills effectively and systematically throughout their lives.

The following projects have not received UNDP financial support, but have won our attention:

Fourth place we awarded the idea of the interactive educational platform Solveway.club.

SolveWay system is an online platform for programmers and trainees. It includes programming languages, modern technologies and databases for independent and interactive learning with the possibility of receiving feedback and recommendations from a teacher. Students can improve their programming skills by solving tasks of different complexity levels and using the proposed technologies. The accessibility of the system through the Internet allows increasing the number of users and developers of software products on a national scale, which will reduce the gender and age gap in this area, as well as increase the involvement of users with disabilities.

The fifth place was taken by the developers of the analogue of the IVL apparatus (breathing apparatus). It is no secret how these devices are currently lacking in the whole world. The model under development is a test.  However, it is already promising. That's because the Ambu bag was taken as the basis for the IVL replacement. With it, the patient can artificially breathe. This bag requires a person to work, who is constantly squeezing it. The new model was once automated so that the Ambu bag could work on its own.

UNDP would like to thank each contestant. Despite the fact that only the first three projects received our financial support, it is worth emphasizing the prospects of all other projects too.