Life is like a show that must go on. This pandemic has taken a toll on our lives in the last two years. The harshest challenges faced by the people were those who are physically challenged. We don’t call them disabled. Rather as per sociological terms, we call them especially-abled. There has been a lot of effort put by some kind hearted people to help these beautiful people carry on with living. One such social impacting Organization has become the most popular one. It is none other than myUDAAN.
About myUDAAN:
myUDAAN was launched back in 2019. It is a Mumbai based People mobility company. It has already catered more than 1500+ help requests in different locations. Navi Mumbai, Thane, Domvibli and Kalyan are some of the places where people received from them. It started the business by providing People mobility company to the malls followed by development of an app providing outdoor help services to the people in need as well.
The Man behind myUDAAN:
The man behind the name is Ravindra Singh who has been a Paraplegia from 8 month of age. Instead of his disability, his father used to take him to school. His friend helped him to take to college for attending classes and even for a job interview as well. But, a trip to the Statue of Unity has made him feel for the ones like him. He had to wait for hours to get the wheelchair. But there was only one, pre-booked for some celebrity. He was angry and hopeless. But he channelized his anger into a social welfare service. Quoting him, ‘I believe that disability is a human rights issue. People might feel disabled not just by their bodies, but also by society. My disability restricted me from going out—this made me feel helpless and that I was stuck, not growing as a person.
With his myUDAAN assistive technology, he was able to help a wheel-chaired father. He was living in Mumbai and his son was in Bangalore. myUDAAN united the father with his son on 15th June during the pandemic. Their help booked a flight ticket to Bangalore with a wheelchair taxi.
His innovative service has also helped an old woman in Mumbai. She was living in a flat with no lift but was temporarily disabled. The myUDAAN assistant not just helped her get down the stairs but also helped her to her destination. He has also reached her safely to her room after returning.
What does MyUDAAN do?
People with limited mobility face different adverse situations in mundane life. Some of them are transport, travelling, using washrooms, accessing to ATM counters. With this idea in mind, he started myUDAAN, an on demand assistance service. Here physically challenged people can get trained wheel-chair assistance from professionals.
It is an assistive technology. It helps differently abled people to make their daily life and emergencies smooth. Any person who suffers from restrictive movement for any reason can get help from here. People might suffer from old-age, pregnancy, temporary disability, injury. They can get authorized help from this on demand service.
How does the app work?
myUDAAN has a smartphone application app where the user first needs to download and register to it. There are booking slots from different time periods like 4 hours to 12 hours. The rate for each hour of booking is very reasonable- Rs 100/- hour. Here one can also get to buy different assistance equipment for disability as well.
The assistants are also well trained with proper background verification. They also promote campaigns to create awareness. These are about the needs of the DAPs (Differently Abled Person) and how to treat them in public places.
State and Government Assistance:
myUDAAN is a story of the imparities that DAPs face in the real world. And it also promotes the assurance that their disability will not be a hindrance to their flight of life. Renowned institutions are coming up to support for myUDAAN.
A blended financial model is Swavalamban Divyangjan Assistive Technology Market Access (ATMA) fund. It would enable the 50 % subsidy of myUDAAN services in the upcoming days. This would help them reach people in need for different strata of the society.
People might be born disabled, but it is the society that can make them feel that they are ‘Differently Abled’. myUDAAN is taking every step to reach this goal of making every DAP’s life smooth and normal.
By: Sukanya Saha
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