The inaugural Stelios Disabled Entrepreneur Award has been won by Amar Latif,
33, who owns Leeds-based, Traveleyes, a travel company that specialises in
holidays for the visually impaired. The award, which has a first prize of
£50,000, is run by charity Leonard Cheshire Disability in partnership with
Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the founder of easyGroup and is open to any
disabled entrepreneurs who own at least 40% of a business and have been
trading for less than three years.
Stelios presented Amar with his prize at the British Chamber of Commerce
Business Awards on 29 November 2007. He said "With 50 per cent of
disabled adults out of work, helping to remove the barriers they face to
being in business is essential. Self employment is the only viable option
for many disabled people as it offers flexibility and helps bypass much of
the prejudice that sadly still exists in the workplace.
“The reason that the businesses had to be trading for no longer than three
years was that I wanted to give emphasis to a start up entrepreneur where
the £50,000 would make a real difference to the way the business develops.
“Amar is a driven person with a good track record of working hard. His
business is going in the right direction and Traveleyes has a good
opportunity to expand within the UK and internationally.”
Amar was shocked at his win. He said: "I'm truly honoured to have won
such a prestigious award and was very surprised when Stelios announced my
name. I think the award is very important and brings so many important
issues regarding disabled people into the spotlight."
Amar, who is originally from Glasgow and lost his sight due to an inherited
eye condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa, set up Traveleyes in April 2005
after working as an accountant. Sighted travellers are given a subsidised
rate in return for the ‘use of their eyes’ and for translating visual
experiences to their blind fellow travellers. The company's turnover has
increased from £11,700 in the first financial year to a projected turnover
of more than £100,000 for 2007/08. The £50,000 prize money is going to be
used to expand his company into other English-speaking markets, Australia,
New Zealand, America, Canada and South Africa.
Amar is also trying to encourage corporate involvement with his company. He
said: "I'd like to get companies involved more because I believe that
it can be incredibly beneficial to both parties. People who become visual
translators usually find that their communication and leadership skills show
a vast improvement. Another important factor is that they learn about
disability. With 75 per cent of blind people unemployed it is essential that
people are educated about how disability needn't become a factor when
looking for a job.
"Many disabled people may, like me, wish to become entrepreneurs, but no one
should be forced into self-employment by a lack of employment opportunity in
the job market."
For much information on Traveleyes visit www.traveleyes.co.uk
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