Hanna Dapper celebrates with a fundraiser for barrier-free vehicles!

Hanna Dapper celebrates with a fundraiser for barrier-free vehicles!

Today we celebrate not only the advancements in accessibility, but also the remarkable support from the community! At the end of May, four-year-old Hanna Dapper celebrated her birthday and at the same time received a big gift: a fundraising goal was reached that will significantly help her everyday family life. The GoFundMe campaign, initiated to support the purchase of an accessible vehicle for Hanna's wheelchair, was extremely successful. The parents, Carolin and Niklas Dapper, are overwhelmed by the positive response and support they have received. Thanks to the many generous donors, the necessary goal was finally achieved, which was well received both personally and publicly. This shows once again how important it is to break down barriers and improve the mobility of people with disabilities, as Lebenshilfe emphasizes.

But Hanna is not the only one who needs help. In Haltern am See, 54-year-old Gudrun is struggling with the consequences of a diagnosis that completely turned her life upside down. After several setbacks, including a tumor in her thoracic spine, she now lives in a wheelchair and plans to make her apartment barrier-free. A wheelchair lift via the outside stairs should enable her to leave her home independently. The renovation costs an impressive 17,700 euros, which is why her former work colleagues Gaby, Monika, Silke and Julie have launched a fundraising campaign. They welcome any support, be it financial or by sharing the campaign on social networks. This example clearly shows how important private initiatives are to improve individual life situations.

Important steps in accessibility

Accessibility is a key issue, not only for individuals but also for society as a whole. According to legal requirements, local public transport (ÖPNV) should be barrier-free by January 1, 2022, but this target has not yet been achieved. The legislature has also made regulations that have also included on-demand mobility offers since August 1, 2021. Unfortunately, many of these providers are often not optimally tailored to the needs of people with disabilities. One hurdle remains that companies with 20 or more vehicles only have to make 5% of their fleet barrier-free. These standards can be expanded by abolishing exceptions in the local transport plan, which the federal government is planning in the 2021-2025 coalition agreement.

It's encouraging to see that initiatives like those from Dappers and Gudrun's colleagues are creating a broad platform for support. The community acts not only as a supporter, but as a driving force in breaking down barriers. These stories are not only inspiring, they are also a call to actively shape your own environment and consciously break down barriers. Every step towards accessibility is a step in the right direction - and together we can do it!