Profile
George holds an MBA in Project Management from the University of Zambia and a Bachelor of Science in Project Management from the Institute of Development Management (IDM) in Botswana.
George's PhD research builds on the work he was involved in while working as Director of Programmes at the Southern Africa Federation of the Disabled (SAFOD). He was responsible for designing and coordinating various programmes/projects benefiting persons with disabilities in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) region. One of the projects that he managed for over seven years was the Assistive Technology Information Mapping Project (AT-Info-Map), funded by the Google Impact Challenge. The AT-Info Map developed a mobile app and an AT web database to map the availability of AT in Southern Africa. George was also representing SAFOD on the Board of the ATscale Global Partnership for Assistive Technology.
PhD research
Investigating Assistive Technology Ecosystems in Southern Africa: Lessons from Malawi
The research responds to the persistent gap between progressive policy frameworks and the real-world accessibility of AT for people with disabilities in Africa. It critically examines Malawi’s AT ecosystem across three subsectors: mobility assistive products, skincare products for persons with albinism, and digital assistive technologies.
Drawing on a combination of theoretical frameworks—such as Innovation Ecosystem Theory, Open Innovation, Multilevel Modelling, Community Organising, Frugal Innovation, and Systems Thinking—the thesis constructs an integrated conceptual model. This model emphasises culturally responsive frugal innovation and places community organising and participatory policymaking at its core. The interaction of demographic realities and user needs serves as a mediating layer within a broader open innovation process, designed to support value co-creation across micro, meso, and macro levels.
The study employs a comparative research design, using interviews, observations, and document analysis across the three subsectors. The findings highlight that despite different organisational sizes, histories, and specialisations, all three sectors face common challenges. These include severe resource constraints, prevalent knowledge gaps, infrastructure barriers, and a widespread disconnect between policy and implementation. In the mobility sector, manufacturing and distribution limitations persist; in the albinism sector, health literacy and community myths are pressing issues; and in the digital sector, infrastructure dependencies like power and connectivity remain key obstacles.
To address these issues, the thesis recommends establishing a national AT policy coordination unit, implementing a standardised rapid Assistive Technology Assessment (rATA), creating an innovation fund to support local production, and investing in rural digital infrastructure. These proposals are underpinned by legislative foundations such as Malawi’s 2024 Persons with Disabilities Act and the National Digitalisation Policy.
For grassroots organisations and civil society, the research advocates for formal mechanisms to facilitate cross-sector learning and longer-term ecosystem development. It also highlights the need for coordinated donor investment strategies, rejecting short-term, project-based approaches in favour of more sustainable interventions.
In conclusion, the thesis asserts that progressive policies alone are insufficient; their effective implementation depends on coordination, resources, and the active inclusion of grassroots voices. Persons with disabilities emerge not as passive recipients but as innovators and strategic actors whose lived experience must inform future ecosystem development. The research ultimately calls for sustained, collaborative, and culturally grounded efforts to ensure AT ecosystems in Africa evolve with inclusivity and resilience at their core.
PhD supervisors
George is supervised by Professor Mikko Koria from the Institute for Creative Futures and Dr George Torrens from the School of Design and Creative Arts.
Awards, grants or scholarships received
George is the recipient of a Commonwealth PhD Scholarship for full-time studies from the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC).
Interests and activities
As an international development professional and project management specialist holding several international certifications from the Project Management Institute (PMI) – such as the Project Management Professional (PMP®), the PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI ACP®), and the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM®) – George enjoys mentoring aspiring and mid-career project managers within small non-profits working especially in sub-Sahara Africa, that show potential to effect sustainable changes in society. You can find George on LinkedIn.