Phnom Penh: Persons with disabilities can now grab a chance to earn a living driving tuk-tuks. This has been made possible by the Australian-Cambodian organisation, the Agile Development Group. Its Australian founder and technical advisor, Mr. Ian Jones, has designed the world’s first hand-controlled tuk-tuks, allowing people with lower limb impairments to be able to earn a living as a driver.
The pandemic has made life hard for all of us but most especially for people living with disabilities, but new tuk-tuk innovations, made possible by the Agile Development Group, are creating new opportunities for those wishing to make a living driving, as well as for those who just need to get around.
Agile Development Group founder Mr. Ian Jones says the Mobili-Tuk has a unique ramp at the rear to create easy access for people in wheelchairs. Abili-Tuks are hand-controlled, enabling people with lower limb disabilities to drive. One of the beneficiaries of these innovations is Chha Sreyneang, who says the abili-tuk has changed her life, as she never dreamed of being able to drive. Not only is she now a driver, but she was also part of the “abili-tuk” testing team.
20 “mobili-tuks” and 4 “abili-tuks” are already on the country’s roads. The Agile Development Group says more are on the way.