Ensemble & Grab break the silence of disabilities

Ensemble Worldwide, the creative agency within the IPG Mediabrands network, has released two videos as part of the GrabForGood initiative, to empower the deaf community and continue Grab’s support and collaboration with differently-abled organisations and individuals.

‘Breaking the Silence’ highlights the story of the journey of deaf Grab driver Joey Kow, and ‘The Bassment’, a story of community through a restaurant run by brothers with disabilities.

“These videos were launched with a specific aim to highlight the need for a more disability-inclusive and accessible world through the GrabForGood initiative,” said General Manager of Ensemble Worldwide, Phang Mei Jeng “There is a perceived fear that deaf drivers are not as safe as normal drivers, however, statistics by the World Federation of the Deaf indicate that deaf drivers are less likely to be involved in road accidents. Joey’s emotive narration in ‘Breaking the Silence’ and the Lim brothers in ‘The Bassment’ show the other side of their silent stories.”

GrabForGood: Break the Silence was launched in 2018 with the aim of empowering the Deaf community through the Grab platform, providing income opportunities, minimising communication barriers, and improving the app to better support Deaf drivers.

“Grab has a strong commitment to provide equal opportunities for all our partners, as well as the safety of our customers and now support more than 650 persons with disabilities (PWD) drivers and delivery-partners in Malaysia,” said Country Marketing Head of Grab Malaysia, Hassan Alsagoff “Through these stories told with the Ensemble team, we hope to raise more awareness of the positive contributions of PWD within Malaysian society and demonstrate the power of technology to create opportunities for a more inclusive culture.”

“What amazed us most about Joey is her positivity, as she never lets negative perceptions get her down, it only made her more determined to prove them wrong to show what a reliable driver she can be,” Mei Jeng added “Similarly, the power of brotherhood really struck a chord with us, as with the right support and opportunities from a partner like Grab, the Lim brothers have managed to set up and successfully run their own business against all odds.”

The International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) is annually observed on 3^rd December to promote the full and equal participation of persons with disabilities and to take action for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all aspects of society and development.

“With the spotlight of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we hope their personal stories serve as an inspiration to all, as they have not let their disabilities stop them from achieving independence and their dreams,” said Mei Jeng “We hope to humanise the lives of PWD and show how positive support can have a major impact across different communities and businesses, especially in the backdrop of the pandemic.”

View ‘Breaking the Silence’ here:

View ‘The Bassment’ here: