Story of DivyanGO

In July 2019, I became disabled and am now permanently wheelchair-bound. Despite this, I travel a lot for my community service work. I've discovered from bitter experience that Bharat has a long way to go to become accessible. Even international chains like Starbucks, McDonald’s and Subway have hundreds of outlets which are not accessible in this country.

There is a lack of transparency about the accessibility of the built environment. From shops to restaurants to cinemas to gyms and so on, PWDs (Persons with Disability) don't know where they can go to enjoy life. Much of the information online is incomplete or wrong. This can lead to traumatic experiences for people who find themselves stuck in public places that are inaccessible.

Also, due to social taboos, the Divyang (differently abled) community of India doesn't have many options to apply for jobs or find matrimonial matches. This alienation creates feelings of worthlessness and lack of purpose in life, ultimately leading to suffering and mental illness.

My social enterprise, DivyanGO, is an innovative platform offering the information and services for differently abled users to live life to the full. This sophisticated app will be a one-stop lifestyle platform for PwDs, from accessibility-related information, jobs, matrimonials, social media, medical e-commerce, consultancy, advocacy, training and certifications. Currently, no other platform is offering a complete lifestyle platform for the differently abled community.

On one side, DivyanGO will offer the following services to PwD registered users:

1. Interactive map of Bharat with accessibility ratings and user reviews, so that Divyangjan know where they can go out safely

2. Job search portal for Divyangjan

3. Matrimonial portal for Divyangjan

4. Medical e-commerce marketplace for Divyangjan to find discounted specialist medical equipment

5. Social media platform for Divyangjan to connect and message each other

6. Consultancy and advocacy services for Divyangjan who need disability-related legal support

The other side of DivyanGO, for registered businesses, will offer:

1. DivyanGO training and certification services (offering government-compliant guidelines, assessments and final grading for businesses to make their outlets more accessible and inclusive)

2. For businesses and service providers, DivyanGO is a specialised directory giving them access to the niche customer base of PwDs and their loved ones

As of now, there is no standardised effort across India to unify the built environment according to the guidelines set out in the PWD Act (2016). DivyanGO aims to change that by becoming the industry leader in accessibility standardisation and assessment.

My idea for DivyanGO arose from my personal experiences and needs. I know for certain that this lifestyle app will improve the lives of PWDs in Bharat. To make this happen, we are looking for investors and partners to join hands with us. Please message me to get on board with this vision and mission.