Elly Savatia, a 24-year-old Kenyan, has created a new app that translates speech to sign language, improving communication for the deaf community. Terp 360, uses AI-powered technology and a dataset of over 2,300 locally recorded signs to provide accurate translations.
Elly’s inspiration came from witnessing the challenges faced by Deaf students in Kenya. His solution has earned him the 2025 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation and recognition as a 2024 Mandela Washington Fellow.
The app is set to expand to more languages, with a motion-capture studio in Nairobi recording signs daily. Elly’s vision is to create inclusive digital spaces, demonstrating Africa’s potential to drive innovation.
To find out more, please read Business Insider Africa’s article on the translating speech to sign language app.