Locations700 Million Reasons to Invest in Innovation for Inclusion by Youth with Disabilities
June 11, 2026
Namchok with his modified motorbike, Rabbit, which he designed and built with his brother for his daily commute.
There are barriers most of us never see, because we never needed to. Every day we go to work, study, tap our phones, or listen to the hustle and bustle of the world, moving through systems quietly built around us. There are people who do not fit that mold, and for them, the world becomes inaccessible. Asia-Pacific is home to 700 million persons with disabilities. Among them are youth with disabilities starting a movement, who refuse to let the absence of access be the end of the story. They take what the world failed to build for them and build something better, something that works for everyone. The stories here represent how disability is not a barrier to innovation. The real barrier is the lack of innovative and inclusive solutions.
Namchok Petsaen, a Data Management Analyst from Thailand, broke the assumption that a person with a disability cannot ride, cannot lead, cannot innovate. When the transportation systems around him couldn't accommodate his needs, he didn't wait for the world to catch up. He and his brother designed and built Rabbit, a modified motorbike adapted to his body and fully compliant with legal standards. When he rode it down the street, something shifted in the people watching. Doubt turned into curiosity. Impossible became "how did he do that?" As Namchok asks: "What if more persons with disabilities had access to solutions like Rabbit? We would not only see greater independence, we would see more persons with disabilities actively contributing to society, leading change, and helping build more inclusive solutions."
Than and youth with disabilities from Thailand perform Thai music on stage at the annual "Face of Ability" flagship event.
Nitcharee Peneakchanasak, known as Than, lost both her legs at fourteen. She co-founded the Five For All Foundation, building public platforms where persons with disabilities could step forward and be seen, not for what they cannot do, but for everything they can. Every year, youth with disabilities take the Bangkok Skywalk stage to showcase their talents. More than 300 have been connected with broader audiences and markets through curated spaces and partnerships. "Persons with disabilities already possess the potential," she says. "What they need are the channels and opportunities to step forward with pride."
These are not isolated stories. Chengchuan Shi lost his hearing at eleven and built Voibook, an AI platform that has facilitated nearly ten million hours of communication for persons with hearing impairments across China. Kyoung Hwang Lee developed Taptilo, a smart braille learning device now used in 50 countries, helping close a literacy gap affecting over 300 million people. Akashdeep Bansal, who began losing his vision during doctoral research at IIT Delhi, founded SaralX to make digital tools accessible to thousands who rely on his platform today. Each of them saw a gap the world had ignored, and each of them built the bridge.
Akashdeep Bansal presents SaralX to potential investors at Thadomal Shahani Engineering College (TSEC), India.
UNDP launches Innovation for Inclusion by Youth with Disabilities, a digital giving campaign by UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub that invests in this next generation of problem-solvers. Funds raised go directly towards grants for youth-led initiatives, skills building, and market access support that makes the difference between a startup that survives and one that scales. Every donation is a direct investment in turning ideas into solutions that impact countless lives.