+ What is your name?

Muthuri

+ Are you submitting as a team or as an individual?

Team submission

+ Where are you located?

Kenya

+ In one sentence, tell us about your idea.

We are building Kenya's first accessible travel brand and PLWD dedicated mobility solutions that offer accessible accommodation facilities, inclusive meeting venues for people with disabilities, and provides wheelchair-accessible transfers in Kenya.

+ Describe your ideal collaborative partner or partners.

Besides funding, we are looking for strategic partners, advisors, and investors.

1. Web Design, Mentorship and coaching
2. Access to policymakers both at the national, global, and counties and disability rights organizations
3. Introduction to HR business leaders
4. Access to funders/donors and investors
5. Entrepreneurship support through incubation programs
6. Talent preferably people who are differently-abled to join our team now and in the future.
7. Outreach partners to conduct surveys and spread the word on our community events
8. Media production for a vlog and podcast series for disability mainstreaming content.
9. Opportunities to apply for, ambassadors and organizations that could use/ partner with us

+ What is the most immediate or most pressing challenge you're facing right now?

Travel trade partners to resell our disability friendly travel and holiday packages

+ What is it about your idea that makes you feel good?

10% of the population is disabled (4.44 million people) in Kenya has one form of disability. On the lower side, that is a 2 million total addressable market but about 15% of these are employed/earn income. In extension, families with a PLWD will look for inclusive experiences for the entire group hence a bigger share of the wallet on recreation and mobility. The same applies to meetings, organizations, and schools as diversity and inclusion take centre stage in policy and destinations. In terms of numbers of tourists, around 1 billion people globally suffer from some form of disability, as per the WHO’s World Report on Disability. This translates into roughly 15% of the world’s population and in Kenya, 10 percent (4.4 million) have a disability.

If you look at this market, this represents families, organizations, and other independent PLWD travellers that have to consider accessibility as a core factor before deciding where to go for shopping, dining, holiday, and other forms of recreational activities.

In the U.S., the Open Doors Organization estimates that adults with disabilities spend over $17 billion per year on travel.

Around 18% of India’s approximately 27 million disabled people are college graduates or have completed secondary/matric education, implying some degree of disposable income. Nigerian alone has 30 million persons with disabilities so there is a business case for accessibility and The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities calls on countries to ensure that the disabled have equal access to information, public services, and the physical environment.

+ What makes your idea innovative? Why has no one ever done it before?

Muthuri Kinyamu is a trained marketer with 10 years’ experience, 3X entrepreneur and and previously founded Turnup.Travel - a leading African travel brand for themed experiences, storytelling, and social impact now in its fifth year targeting new age travellers. One of his customers lost her eyesight last year and in order to better serve her and the 4.4 million Kenyans who are among the world population of 1 billion people with disabilities, an idea of Kenya's first tech-enabled and accessible travel brand was born. He has deep knowledge of developing partnerships with corporates and governments to designing experiences and delivery with client relationships.

Lots of players in tourism need a business case for accessibility as opposed to looking at it from a human right and helping every guest access and enjoy their facilities for business or recreation.

+ Who will benefit the most from your idea?

Disability stats in Kenya Mobility 26.2% (1.16 million people). Visual 19.09% (.84 million people). Auditory 12.4% (.55 million people). Speech 10.6% (.45 million people). Cognitive 8.2% (.36 million people) Other 23.6% (1.05 million people).

+ Ideally, when would you launch this idea?

I've already launched my idea

+ Indicate which UN goals your idea relates to?

Reduced Inequality Responsible Consumption and Production

+ At Sigmund, we are interested in ideas at the intersection of People, Planet, and Profit. How does your idea relate to these three categories?

We provide affordable transfers with wheelchair-accessible vehicles and travel packages for the seniors with mobility challenges and differently-abled in our society.We serve individuals, families, organizations, and travel agents with transport, guides, and tailored tours in Kenya for wheelchair-users and slow walkers to ensure your family, group, or organization never leaves anyone behind. We provide transport, accessible travel packages, inclusive meetings and develop capacity for the tourism and hospitality industry to serve people with disabilities. The rights and wellbeing of people with disabilities is becoming a more urgent global priority. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities calls on countries to ensure that the disabled have equal access to information, public services and the physical environment. The UN Sustainable Development Goals’ SDG-11 also seeks to make our cities more inclusive. One way to advance toward these objectives is to ensure that the disabled enjoy equal access to the benefits of tourism. Along with the human rights aspect of this goal, there is also a compelling business case.

+ Your website URL

https://accessibletravel.carrd.co/