The makeathone - a 72-hour marathon during which devices were created to improve the living conditions of people with disabilities was completed at S. Toraighyrov PSU.

The purpose of makeathone is to create a simple useful invention at an affordable price, which can serve as a prototype for mass production. Feature of makeathone is that during developing inventions, real people with disabilities and specialists rehabilitation therapists, psychologists, commercializers, social entrepreneurs help inventors. The developed devices will be presented to people with disabilities.

TOM: Tikkun Olam Makers is a global movement that brings together people with disabilities (need-knowers) and inventors (makers). The essence of the project is to improve the comfort of life of special people.

The project is organized by the Association of Tel Aviv University Friends Association in the Republic of Kazakhstan and S. Toraighyrov Pavlodar State University. The project is implemented with the support of the President of the TAU Friends Association, businessman and philanthropist Alexander Mashkevich.

"I am confident that all ideas and initiatives will find practical implementation in real affairs, and the presented projects will facilitate the return of people with a difficult destiny to a full life," said Nurlan Yerzhanov, an acting rector of S.Toraighyrov PSU.

Sanya Arapova, Vice-President of the TAU Friends Association f in the Republic of Kazakhstan, addressed the makers. "Today you do not just create prototypes. You change public consciousness by your example of involvement in improving the lives of special people. You improve yourself and the lives of those who told you about their difficulties and problems", she said.

Director of TOM: Tikkun Olam Makers Daniel Weil noted the wide geography of the project. "TOM: Kazakhstan joins other TOM communities around the world - in Israel, USA, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Vietnam, Australia, Bulgaria and Portugal. Active local communities connect people with disabilities and engineers to develop solutions of problems. As our movement grows, we can help more people around the world", emphasised the expert.

Let us recall, PreTOM was at held at S. Toraighyrov PSU on May 20, 2017. PreTOM is an event where the makers met with need-knowers. At this stage, there was an understanding of the problems, the first sketches of ideas and design were made.

As a result, the first place was taken by the project for creation an exoskeleton, which makes it possible to walk independently for people with functional disorder of the motion activity.

The second place belongs to the KINEU team, who developed an inserted slipper in cases of incomplete amputation of the foot at the level of the Chopart’s joint.

The third place was shared by two teams. The team from S. Toraighyrov PSU made a mop for people with limited supporting-motor abilities. The team "Neuderzhimye" adapted a vertical elevator: they connected simple household furniture with production storage systems, which allowed using space that is above their reach as a storage.

Representatives of the team "Hephaestus" received a special prize from the Pavlodar State University. Team revised the design of the artificial leg for a person with an amputation stump of the lower third right shin, adapted it to human needs, and the use of a special float made it possible to facilitate the prosthesis and preserve its wear resistance.

Makers also thought of an automatic feeder and a special-purpose keyboard. Need-knowers helped the inventors with practical advice.

2017 жылдың 26 шілдесінде Астанада PostTOM өтеді, яғни жобаның қорытындысы шығарылады.

PostTOM - summarizing the project will be held in Astana on July 26, 2017. Let us note that the makeathone has been conducted since 2014. During this time 1472 makers took part in them, who created 152 inventions.

It should be noted that according to official statistics, more than 600,000 people with disabilities live in Kazakhstan. Such numbers are amazing, because we rarely see these people on the streets. They often live a recluse life because they find it difficult to even fasten shoelaces or eat. Therefore, undoubtedly, such events as Makeathone TOM: Kazakhstan have a huge social significance for our country.