Remington remembers feeling “10 feet tall and bulletproof,” he said of his life as a young man. “I dabbled in recreational sports and especially enjoyed riding my motorcycle.” That active lifestyle came to an abrupt halt, however, when he was injured in a motorcycle accident at the age of 25. He was released from the hospital six months later and told he would have walking abnormalities that would require him to use a cane on a daily basis. Initially, the reality of having to live with a disability, he confessed, was difficult to come to grips with.

With most of his savings used up for medical treatments and no source of income to fall back on, Remington could only afford two physical therapy sessions since the cost of per session was well beyond his means. It took a while to get used to his new gait, but with consistent daily exercises, he soon found his stride. Not long after, Remington decided to open up a Sari-Sari store (convenience store) as a way to earn a living, but made the decision to close it down following months of lacklustre sales. It dawned on him that running a business requires a set of entrepreneurial skills that he was clearly lacking, but at the same time, he was also clueless on where to seek help from.

Hopeful, Remington scoured the internet in search of PWD groups to join and programmes that might offer the right assistance. It was in one of these online groups that he first came across a post on the R.I.S.E. programme and immediately ‘clicked’ at the chance to enrol and started the programme in the same month. The entrepreneurial training he received from R.I.S.E. was valuable as it gave him the confidence to dip his toes back into the world of entrepreneurship.

For example, Remington learned that self-confidence and a positive mindset are critical to overcoming the challenges that come with entrepreneurship via the Awareness and Change module. Through the support of his R.I.S.E. mentor, he was able to identify his passion for healthy living and translate that into a business venture where the focus would be on selling organic coffee, tea, and alternative herbal products. Furthermore, Remington leveraged social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook to connect with his target audience, engage with customers and grow his promising business.

Not one to let an opportunity go wasted, he opened up a vegetable stall in his neighbourhood when he realised that his customers needed an immediate and accessible supply of vegetables and spices. The two revenue streams contribute to Remington’s income rising to as high as PHP 16,000 (RM 1212.67) on a monthly basis.

Today, Remington is delighted that his businesses are flourishing, which has enabled him to provide a better life for his family and set aside some money for the future. Beyond that, he is grateful that through his discovery of the R.I.S.E programme, he gets to actively share his experience of going through the training with his friends and the disabled community. Remington recommends and encourages them to join and discover their entrepreneurial potential the way he did.

These heartfelt testimonies have inspired 25 persons with disabilities (PWDs) to sign up and begin their journeys as entrepreneurs. Remington is there every step of the way to guide them through the trials and tribulations of being a business owner. Recently, he was invited to be an officer of a PWD organisation within their community. Truly, Remington has been an inspiration to his fellow PWDs!

As he says, “Even at this age, I found the confidence in keeping up with the trends in social media to promote myself and my business.” He adds, “I am a proud participant of the R.I.S.E. programme. I want to help the PWD community by empowering them – uplifting their self-confidence and self-worth – and I want to inspire members of the community to join the training and aid them towards realising their potential as an entrepreneur”.