Accessibility Is Freedom เข้าถึงและเท่าเทียม | Accessible and Equal
The 6th anniversary of Accessibility Is Freedom! Finally we’ve got a Thai official name “เข้าถึงและเท่าเทียม”
On 15 August 2014, I launched the very first video clip about accessible parking problem. Since then, with relentless fight for equality as well as strong collaborative networks from countless parties and individual endeavour, it’s not exaggerated to say that we see some significant accessibility improvement in Thailand. Our works still prevail and continuously move forward, even more extensive.
Along the past 6 years we’ve stand up to voice this hidden problem to the society at large. Look around and you would realise some gradual, yet progressive, changes in the city both physically, mentally, and socially.
A human, in this modern day, has the rights to be able to go to school, to work, to the hospital, to shopping mall all by their owns. Some of you now might laugh at me “What are you talking about Saba, isn’t it too trivial?” I would say that it looks trivial and so common for normal, abled people. Yet for those less-abled people, these trivial daily-life activities are often beyond their reach, not due to their faults but due to the physical and social elements at large that disables them in prison.
The ability to access public space, public transport, and just about anywhere serves as a gateway for one to enhance their lives. This is the first step for sustainable development in human, or precisely its citizenry. The problem wouldn’t disappear overnight. But if everyone of us gives our little hands to little solve this problem, one little at a time, the problem would be gone in the end.
I really wish all of you have strong heart and mind. I hope a fundamental change in Thai society for they think in themselves that this is their “Sense of Duty” as a citizen and as a decent human being to take some real action to enhance the society (yes – beyond paying tax).
I would graduate with doctoral degree in this time frame of 6 years. It’s a lot of time. If I were to treat this social work as a ‘business,’ I would consider it a failure in terms of finance and ROI. Along the 6-year path I’ve spent my own pocket for no less than 800,000 Baht (about US $25,000), a big amount of money for my level. Fortunately, about half of the total spending was supported by kind donors.
Once again, I would like to thank everyone for your great supports. It means a lot to me and I appreciate that. I, and all collaborative networks, would go on to fight for access equality and rights FOR ALL.
/Saba
Accessibility Is Freedom
15 August 2020
References:
– The first video clip 6 years ago: https://youtu.be/2v7nLc_8sMs
– Who are we: https://www.accessibilityisfreedom.org/en/who-we-are/
– What we do: https://www.accessibilityisfreedom.org/en/what-we-do/
– Financial situation: https://www.accessibilityisfreedom.org/en/income-expenses/
– The Donor Hall of Frame: https://www.accessibilityisfreedom.org/en/board-of-supporters/
#AccessibilityIsFreedom #Equal
