Gifty Ayoka and CDLI’s Role at Africa Health Tech Summit Kigali: Pioneering Inclusive AI for Speech Impairments

Introduction

In the rapidly evolving field of inclusive health tech in Africa, the Africa Health Tech Summit (AHTS) in Kigali, Rwanda, served as a pivotal platform for professionals, policymakers, and innovators. Ghanaian Speech and Language Therapist Gifty Ayoka represented the Center for Digital Language Inclusion (CDLI), an initiative of the Global Disability Innovation (GDI) Hub, at this landmark event. As the sole Speech and Language Therapist from Ghana present, Ayoka contributed to vital discussions on AI assistive technologies and disability inclusion.

This summit highlighted the critical role of business models in scaling assistive technologies for speech impairments, emphasizing how AI can bridge communication gaps for people with non-standard speech in the Global South. Ayoka’s participation underscores Ghana’s growing influence in Africa’s health tech ecosystem, focusing on culturally relevant solutions.

Event Overview and Key Themes

The AHTS convened experts to explore pathways from innovation to real-world impact. Themes included AI integration in health tech, policy frameworks for accessibility, and community-driven design for digital language inclusion.

Analysis

The involvement of Gifty Ayoka at the Africa Health Tech Summit Kigali reveals deeper trends in disability innovation in Africa. CDLI’s work addresses a pressing gap: most AI speech recognition systems are trained on standard English or dominant languages, marginalizing those with speech impairments in diverse African contexts. By collecting vocabulary samples in local languages from individuals with speech challenges, CDLI builds datasets that enable more accurate, inclusive AI tools.

Pedagogically, consider speech and language therapy: it involves assessing and treating communication disorders through techniques like articulation exercises and augmentative communication devices. In Africa, where over 80% of languages are underrepresented in AI datasets (as per UNESCO reports on linguistic diversity), initiatives like CDLI are essential. Ayoka’s fieldwork in Rwanda—following similar efforts in Ghana and Kenya—demonstrates a scalable model for data sovereignty and ethical AI development.

Impact on AI for Assistive Technologies

AI-powered speech recognition, powered by machine learning models like deep neural networks, traditionally struggles with accents, dialects, and atypical speech patterns. CDLI’s approach fosters co-creation with therapists, linguists, and affected individuals, ensuring technologies like voice-to-text apps support local expressions. This not only enhances accessibility but also empowers users to communicate confidently in their native tongues.

Dr. Richard Cave, CDLI co-founder, emphasized collaboration: “By working closely with local innovators, therapists, and persons with speech impairments, we can co-create AI solutions that recognize and respond to speech in local languages—ensuring that AI-powered assistive technologies truly reflect Africa’s linguistic and cultural diversity.” Ayoka echoed this in the workshop “From Innovation to Impact: Building Pathways for Assistive Technologies in Africa,” stating: “Innovation alone is not enough—we must create pathways that ensure assistive technologies reach those who need them most. True impact happens when design, policy, and community inclusion work hand in hand to transform lives across Africa.”

Summary

Gifty Ayoka, a prominent Ghanaian advocate for inclusive communication technologies, represented GDI Hub’s CDLI at the AHTS in Kigali. She engaged in panels on AI and disability inclusion, while the CDLI team gathered speech data from Rwandans with impairments. This builds on prior work in Ghana and Kenya, advancing AI tools for diverse speech patterns. Co-founded by Professor Catherine Holloway and Dr. Richard Cave, CDLI collaborates across disciplines to promote equitable access to assistive tech.

Key Points

Practical Advice

For speech therapists, innovators, or policymakers interested in AI for speech impairments in Africa, here’s actionable guidance drawn from CDLI’s model:

Getting Involved in Data Collection

Partner with local communities: Start by obtaining informed consent and collaborating with therapists like Gifty Ayoka. Use open-source tools like Mozilla Common Voice for initial datasets, then customize for African languages. In Ghana or Rwanda, pilot small-scale vocabulary gathering sessions focusing on daily phrases.

Building AI Assistive Tools

Employ frameworks like Kaldi or Hugging Face Transformers for speech-to-text models. Train on diverse data to handle impairments—e.g., dysarthria or aphasia. Test iteratively with users to refine accuracy. Resources: GDI Hub’s online portals offer guides for ethical AI in disability tech.

Scaling Through Policy

Advocate for national strategies integrating digital language inclusion. In Ghana, leverage existing disability rights frameworks to fund CDLI-like projects. Attend summits like AHTS for networking.

Points of Caution

While advancing assistive technologies in Africa, ethical pitfalls must be navigated:

• Data Privacy: Speech data is biometric; anonymize samples and comply with regional standards like Rwanda’s Data Protection Law or Ghana’s Data Protection Act.
• Cultural Sensitivity: Avoid imposing Western models—prioritize local linguists to capture idiomatic expressions accurately.
• Bias Risks: Underrepresented groups could perpetuate exclusion if datasets skew toward urban voices; ensure rural and impairment-diverse inclusion.
• Sustainability: Fieldwork demands long-term funding; GDI Hub’s model shows grants and partnerships are key.

Ethical AI Best Practices

Follow principles from the Partnership on AI: transparency in data use, user consent, and impact audits. CDLI exemplifies this through multidisciplinary teams.

Comparison

CDLI’s efforts at the Africa Health Tech Summit Kigali stand out against similar initiatives:

Vs. Ghana and Kenya Projects

In Ghana and Kenya, CDLI has conducted prior fieldwork, but Rwanda marks expansion. Ghana focuses on Akan/Twi dialects, Kenya on Swahili variations—Kigali adds Kinyarwanda, broadening continental coverage.

Vs. Global Initiatives

Compared to Google’s Project Euphonia (US-centric dysarthria data), CDLI emphasizes African languages, addressing a 90% gap in Global South representation (per GDI Hub reports). Unlike top-down approaches, CDLI’s bottom-up co-creation with therapists like Ayoka ensures relevance.

Legal Implications

Initiatives like CDLI operate within Africa’s evolving data protection landscape. Rwanda’s 2021 Data Protection Law mandates consent for personal data processing, including biometrics like voice. Ghana’s Data Protection Act (2012) requires impact assessments for sensitive health data. No specific legal issues arose at the summit, but compliance ensures defensibility. Internationally, GDPR influences cross-border collaborations via GDI Hub (UK-based). Always consult local counsel for fieldwork.

Conclusion

Gifty Ayoka’s representation of CDLI at the Africa Health Tech Summit Kigali exemplifies how targeted efforts can transform inclusive health tech. By prioritizing AI for non-standard speech, CDLI fosters empowerment across Africa. Ghana’s contributions, backed by GDI Hub, position the continent as a leader in disability innovation. Future summits and projects will build on this, ensuring assistive technologies serve all voices.

This event, published November 19, 2025, by Life Pulse Daily, highlights the synergy of therapy, tech, and policy for lasting impact.

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