Meet the developer - Chance for Childhood

Meet the app developer: Ronald Nettey

In 2022, we launched the Disability Detect App, an innovative approach to screening children for disabilities and additional needs using a mobile phone. So far, the app has screened over 25,500 children across three countries, helping them get the diagnoses and support they need. We spoke with Ronald Nettey, co-founder of TechEra, the Ghana-based company that developed the app, to hear more about the journey from concept to pilot to expansion across multiple countries.

What drew you to the project?

Ronald: My cofounder, Derick Omari, met with the Chance for Childhood Ghana team at an event and shared what each company did with each other. They explained that they run assessments for children which also aligned with our inclusive education values. However, they highlighted that the process was tedious, especially when it came to the analysis of the reports.

Given our technical prowess and my personal drive for solving complex problems, the idea of digitising a manual process for something as important as this was really exciting to me. Seeing the potential to simplify something so cumbersome while expanding its reach and impact felt both meaningful and fulfilling.

What was the process like?

Ronald: We started in Ghana, working locally and really focusing on making the app user friendly. There was a lot of collaboration with Chance for Childhood, especially on the branding and appearance to make sure the look and feel aligned with the organisation’s identity and ethical principles – no children’s faces, clear messaging, and a tone that felt familiar to their audience. It took us six months to build the pilot app. It was intense – lots of late nights! I worked mostly on the technical side, and we were able to launch in 2022.

What were the biggest challenges?

Ronald: It was one of the most complex things I’ve ever put together, but it got easier to understand as we went on. We recently did some re-writing of the original code so we could expand the app into more countries. It’s now running in Ghana, Rwanda and Uganda and is set up to run anywhere in the world in theory.

What are you most proud of?

Ronald: The positive feedback from the Chance for Childhood team – and just knowing that something I helped build is making a real difference helping children.

What is next for Disability Detect?

Ronald: From my last conversation with the Chance for Childhood team, there’s interest in adding teaching material recommendations to the app – this would help teachers support children with disabilities in their classroom with the right tools. That’s already in the works. It’s exciting to keep evolving the platform and see it helping more children get the support they need.