On sandy roads in Inner Mongolia in the Chinese countryside, disabled cyclists pass herds of sheep, drawing the attention of residents, as they test a new model of bicycles modified to their needs and at an acceptable price.
The recumbent cyclists, called "Hand Bike", are part of the "Crankin' Through China" group, which for 10 years has been providing assistance to Chinese people in wheelchairs to exercise outdoors.
Last year, China passed a law that provides many services to people with disabilities, but they still face many obstacles in their daily lives.
Wang Feng (41 years old), who discovered the custom-made bicycles after years of being unable to use his legs as a result of a disease, says, “From the beginning, we wanted to use manual bicycles, to encourage our disabled friends to go out.”
To promote its idea, Krankin' Through China organized several trips to remote areas in China, specifically in 2017, when the group spent three months traveling from the mountainous province of Yunnan (southwest) to Beijing.
The group is currently collaborating with a university in Shanghai to produce a prototype of a manual bicycle that is easy to repair and has a lower price, the model that was tested on a recent trip through Inner Mongolia.
In addition to cycling tours, Krankin' Through China offers dedicated swimming or horse riding sessions.
Source 28-May-2024 AFP - https://www.annahar.com/arabic/section/11-%D8%AD%D9%88%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85
Comments