Shamila Akhtar, founder of InspirAbility, explains why she should win the Rising Star category of the Guardian Small Business Showcase competition:
I suffer from MS, and due to a mixture of social stigma in my community and a lack of resources about disability in Muslim communities, I received very little support from my peers. As a consequence, I created InspirAbility to provide that support.
The business is an online platform for people living with disabilities, and I also educate adults and children through illustrated children’s books. Throughout my life, I have battled with difficult episodes of MS – just a few months ago, I had a very difficult relapse – but nothing has stopped me and I continue to gain supporters.
I want to spread the word and show people living with disabilities that they’re not alone. You should embrace who you are and not hide your illness or disability from others. My artistic books are accessible in all kinds of formats, including braille, large print, audiobook and e-book, and they have also been written for a Muslim audience to facilitate the lack of resources currently in that community.
My co-founder, James Kinsella, says: “Shamila has worked hard to break down the barriers of living with a disability and to educate the Muslim community. Even though she battles with MS and a lack of confidence, Shamila has made her business about helping others and uses this to spur her on. An outstanding example of community spirit.”
All entries which meet the competition criteria are published and our judging panel select a shortlist of the top three for each category. Winners are announced at an awards ceremony in summer 2016.
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