Jordan’s people with disabilities lose their hero to a cardiac arrest

Twenty-seven-year-old Aya Aghabi passed away on Monday after having a cardiac arrest and going into a coma, leaving Jordan’s people with disability (PWD) bereft of a national hero who fought for their rights through her online platform “Accessible Jordan.”

The United Nations Jordan, the World Health Organization Jordan, and other Twitter users mourned the death of Aghabi with heartfelt words.

Zeina Shahzada tweeted saying: “Absolutely heartbroken to hear that Accessible Jordan founder, Aya Aghabi, has passed away. A gentle soul and a real life hero, she has, so passionately and selflessly done so much for people with disabilities in #Jordan.”

“May she rest in peace. #Jordan is a much better place for all due to Aya Aghabi’s tireless work and campaigning,” wrote Taylor Luck.

Accessible Jordan is an online platform founded and launched by Aghabi in 2017 to archive accessible locations in the country for PWDs to encourage them to go out more.

Aghabi developed the website into a multi-service platform, which not only assesses the accessibility of over 33,000 locations in Jordan but also provides consultations on how to make spaces PWD-friendly.

In just two years, the late humanitarian revamped over 70 sites, including private businesses, banks, and restaurants.