Electric wheelchair tours show Colombian city from new angle, help shed image of drug violence

Wilson Guzmán misplaced the usage of his legs at age 17 when he was shot within the again whereas attempting to get better a stolen bicycle in his hometown of Medellin, Colombia. Two a long time later, he glides via town’s streets utilizing an electrical hand-bike connected to the entrance of his wheelchair. He not too long ago gave a tour of Medellin’s parks to seven individuals who adopted him down bike lanes and up steep hills on related autos.

“Every person who gets on these wheelchairs leaves with a smile,” stated Guzmán. “They also learn what it’s like to be in the shoes of someone with a disability.”

The wheelchair excursions that Guzman leads as soon as every week are the most recent vacationer attraction in a metropolis that’s slowly shedding its popularity for drug violence and has turn out to be one in every of Colombia’s most visited locations.

They’re organized by MATT — which stands for Mobility, Accessibility, Time and Work — a start-up based final 12 months that goals to create jobs for individuals with disabilities.

For the equal of $25, each individuals who can and may’t stroll can get on the electrical wheelchairs and take the three-hour tour of town’s riverside parks, which incorporates stops at a espresso store and a bar that does beer tasting. The units speed up rapidly and may attain speeds of 30 kph (19 mph).

ALSO SEE | PHOTOS: Electric wheelchair excursions present Colombian metropolis from special approach

“We think this will be a winning proposal in terms of education and inclusion,” stated firm founder Martín Londoño.

The excursions began in October and their routes are nonetheless being adjusted. Londoño stated he needed to supply them earlier this 12 months however needed to delay the launch as a result of coronavirus pandemic and journey restrictions imposed by the Colombian authorities, which have been lifted in September.

The hand-cycles, constructed and designed with the assistance of native bike workshops, are powered by rechargeable batteries and latch on to wheelchairs with metallic bars and hooks. The steering and brakes are like these on a daily bicycle, whereas accelerating solely requires pushing a button on one of many handles.

Londoño, 31, began to work on the hand-cycles 4 years in the past to enhance his personal mobility. He misplaced the usage of his legs after breaking his spinal chord in a site visitors accident at age 18.

Londoño took inspiration from Batec, a Spanish firm that makes electrical hand-bikes and sells them for between 4,000 and 6,000 euros. He needed to make a model that was extra reasonably priced for individuals in Colombia, the place the minimal wage is about $250 a month.

After a number of makes an attempt, Londoño managed to construct a practical hand-bike for himself, however his efforts to promote them for round $2,000 weren’t profitable.

“We realized that most people with disabilities in Colombia have very meager incomes,” stated Londoño, who grew up in a rich neighborhood of Medellin and graduated from a global college. “They have no employment and many can’t even afford a regular wheelchair.”

Londoño modified his enterprise mannequin and based MATT. With his financial savings and people of his enterprise companions, Londoño has constructed a fleet of 15 hand-cycles. Three of them have been leased to individuals with disabilities who work for a supply service arrange by MATT this 12 months.

Londoño costs the supply employees a month-to-month price of $90 and says they are going to be allowed to maintain the hand-bikes as soon as they’ve paid for them.

MATT makes use of the remaining hand-bikes for its wheelchair tour, which remains to be in its early days and must compete in opposition to extra well-known sights, together with excursions of locations related to drug lord Pablo Escobar, a museum that includes the works of artist Fernando Botero and a cable automobile that ascends a steep mountain to a pristine cloud forest.

Londoño says he’s attempting to advertise his tour on social media whereas constructing partnerships with native journey firms. He goals of taking the wheelchair excursions to different cities in Colombia, Latin America and the United States.

“This is another way to show how our city is changing” stated Valeria Toro, a Medellin journey agent who needs to listing it on choices for journey firms abroad. “It’s an experience that people are not likely to forget after they go back home.”

(This story has been printed from a wire company feed with out modifications to the textual content. Only the headline has been modified.)

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