LAFO Project
Improve access for people with motor disabilities through devices that adapt the environment to their needs.
The problem we seek to address is the few accessibility options in public and private spaces for people with motor disabilities.
Mexico has approximately 3 million people with some motor disability (INEGI 2020). As creators of LAFO we realized this problem and a possible solution to it was analyzed, since consequently the lack of said areas causes the integrity of people to be threatened due to the simple fact that they do not have adequate facilities. for free transit.
LAFO project seeks to offer society the ability to solve the problem of lack of access for people with disabilities, offering a more practical and simple alternative that can be adapted to the environment that requires it.
The object that is going to be available to satisfy this problem is under development, the material that will be used for its process is in the planning stage, since we are looking for the best option that adapts to the simple mechanism of the object.What we offer is a removable folding ramp that is light in weight but has good resistance that can be put on and taken off when necessary, adapting places that do not have access for the disabled.
The disabled are part of the population that is least considered in Mexico. There are not adequate spaces for them to lead a good quality of life, LAFO Project hopes to positively impact the lives of all those who have a motor disability.
People with motor disabilities are known as all those who have some alteration in their body that affects their ability to move, making it difficult for them to travel those places where people walk easily. The problem becomes bigger because these places are to some extent "hostile" for disabled people, because they do not have the required adaptations that these people demand, putting them in a constant situation of danger.
Our proposal will cover all those places that do not have adequate access for these people, because the solution we offer will not seek to adapt the environment to them as it normally is, rather the solution will adapt to the environment, creating quick and easy access.
We are in a stage of creation, because it arises from a need that the team members live. A part of the team has had or has relatives with motor disabilities, so we know the problems that are faced when having to move our relatives with motor disabilities from one place to another. This experience has allowed us to analyze the means that have to be taken in order to access a place that does not have these amenities. For its part, the team trusts that the fact of having had a large number of experiences, works as inspiration for us to create the bases of this ambitious project.
A study of different states of the country has been carried out, visiting the places most frequented by people and what we realize is that they all agree on the same thing, although some have access (very few), they are only and exclusively seen in the streets (sidewalks), so when getting on the sidewalks is where the real problem comes, because shops, restaurants, event gardens, bars, schools, etc., mostly do not have any access for people with motor disabilities. As such, none of the members have worked with any society that supports this problem because it currently does not exist. However, we have worked in non-profit foundations that have supported causes other than ours.
- Other: Addressing an unmet social, environmental, or economic need not covered in the four dimensions above.
- Concept: An idea being explored for its feasibility to build a product, service, or business model based on that idea.
The idea that we propose completely changes the approach towards the disabled, because normally there are not many places that adapt to their disabilities, so the ramp that we offer seeks that, simply by adapting the place to the needs demanded.
Our main objective for 2024 is that once we already have the physical model of the ramp, we will be present at least in the majority of Mexico City. Depending on the future, we will expand to more and more states in the country.
We plan to achieve what was planned through different profit organizations, foundations and support from both local and state governments. Seeking to form alliances that allow us to put a ramp in each place that is needed, donating all the profits to those institutions that are dedicated to supporting people with motor disabilities.
Our ramp will use a mechanical movement that it will use to unfold and fold when necessary, the technology used will be an alloy that is light but at the same time resistant.
- Manufacturing Technology
- Materials Science
- Mexico
We hope to serve a total of 50,000 people with motor disabilities next year
The barriers that exist are those of any product that is just going to hit the market. To mention a few are: regulations, standards, acceptance, price. But despite this, we trust that our ramp will be able to adhere to all the necessary requirements.
Currently we are not working with any company but we are already in talks with various foundations and companies that are interested in collaborating with us
Our business model revolves around providing the care that people with motor disabilities need. We estimate its impact to be immediate since our product will be offered to all those people who have an establishment that does not have the necessary access in their establishment. The ramp is expected to be in high demand since in terms of cost and practicality it is better than building a ramp in each of the establishments that do not have one; not to mention that since it is removable it can be put on and taken off and the place will not lose its aesthetics.
The way in which we will finance this project will be by seeking capital support with the different organizations and non-profit companies in order to start producing the first units; once they begin to demand more units with the proceeds, a part will continue to be reinvested in order to seek to produce more ramps and the other will be donated to charities that support disabled people. In the long term we seek to obtain contracts with government institutions in order to no longer sell but rather to donate the ramp to the establishments and thus more people benefit.