June 25, 2013 – Design Innovation with youth in Sierra Leone
David, who is originally from Sierra Leone, has been working on technology to improve prosthetic limbs for amputees around the world and designing the next generation of wearable mechanical interfaces. Sengeh recently created a youth mentorship program called Innovate Salone to foster innovation among high-school students in Sierra Leone; the youth work in teams to create new ideas for DIY projects related to health, agriculture, crafts and entertainment in their communities. David will be accompanied by Kelvin Doe, the young teenage student from Sierra Leone, who created a radio transmitter built from salvaged parts and broadcast his own local programming under the name DJ Focus. Sengeh, impressed with Doe’s creativity, arranged a trip for him to the United States in 2012, having him speaking at the World Maker Faire in New York and spending time as a resident practitioner at the MIT Media Lab. Sengeh’s strongest impulse remains the desire to empower youth in developing countries to design their own solutions to everyday problems.
MIT Press release: Graduate student David Sengeh gives back to Sierra Leone, Dec 18, 2012
