Fawzan Hussain: #RisingYouth Using 3D-Printing to Assist Persons with Disabilities
Tell us about yourself.
Ever since Grade 7, I have competed in many science fairs ranging from my local fair, to the Canada Wide Science Fair in 2018 & 2019 to the MILSET Expo-Sciences International Science Fair 2019 held in Abu Dhabi, UAE, as part of Team Canada.
Participating in science fairs led me to discover several of my passions such as engineering bridges, understanding the effects human activity has on the environment through technological monitoring and developing assistive technologies for people with disabilities.
Tell us about your #RisingYouth project.
When I was in my math class one day, I noticed one of my friends had trouble holding a pencil and writing down the notes that the teacher wrote on the board. I later learned that my friend was a person with a physical disability; in particular he had limited hand dexterity. He had a hard time doing tasks like holding his pencil, opening a water bottle, or turning a key to open a door. I began to notice more and more students with disabilities struggle doing these tasks that I took for granted.
In March 2018, I had the opportunity to meet a representative from the Neil Squire Society, a non-profit organization supporting people with disabilities. One of their initiatives was using 3D-printing to make assistive devices for persons with disabilities- which included pen holders, nail clippers, and bottle openers. I am passionate about science and technology and combined with my desire to help my peers in school, I decided to take action: I applied for and received a $250 grant from TakingITGlobal to 3D-print these assistive devices and worked with the Neil Squire Society to plan the grant execution. In total, 149 devices were distributed to the Neil Squire Society for use by people with disabilities.
Since completion of the grant, I have continued to 3D-print, and have distributed over 500 devices to local societies supporting people with disabilities, child development centers, and our local hospital.
What would you say is the biggest success achieved through your project?
My biggest success achieved through my project was being able to distribute the assistive technologies and see the impact that these devices have on people with disabilities.
These 3D-printed assistive devices help persons with disabilities do daily tasks such as gripping a pen or opening a water bottle. This creates autonomy and empowers people with disabilities to take control of their own actions.
Why do you think it is important for youth to be engaged in community service initiatives?
I think it is important for youth to be engaged in community service initiatives because I believe that each and every youth has the ability to make a difference in the world and the voice to remove societal stigmas that people may have about one another. Through engaging in community service initiatives, I believe that youth can refine their skills such as public speaking skills, presentation skills etc., meet like-minded people in the process and positively impact the world!
If youth are interested in applying for a #RisingYouth Community Service Grant but don’t know where to start, where do you suggest they find project ideas?
If youth are interested in applying for a #RisingYouth Community Service Grant, I’d recommend that they think about the things that they are passionate about and the things that are going on around them. Through discovering more about their passion, they may find a topic that has some issues that they are interested in solving. In addition, reaching youth could reach out to organizations or individuals in the community, as they are always keen on helping youth make a positive impact on others around them.
