Drivers with auditory impairment can now make money on Uber following a partnership between the company and the Kenya National Association of the Deaf (KNAD).
Jambu Palaniappan, Regional General Manager for Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa, says the Association has helped Uber understand the challenges deaf and hard-of-hearing people overcome every day.
“As a result we’re introducing new features on the Uber app which are designed to make it easier for deaf and hard-of-hearing Kenyans to become partner-drivers and earn an income. The new settings we’re announcing today are a first step but we’re already thinking about how else we can help, through education and awareness, remove the barrier between deaf and hearing people in our cities,” says Palaniappan
“Part of our mission is to promote public and private sector policies and initiatives that meet the rights and needs of the deaf community. This partnership, which will make it easier for deaf and hard of hearing people to work, is a welcome development,” says Nickson O. Kakiri, National Chairman of the Kenya National Association of the Deaf.
The new innovation follows Uber launching a cash payment option in Nairobi in May, following demand for this in the city. Such innovations have enabled Uber to pass the landmark of two million rides across Africa in the first six months of this year.
