Inclov, first matchmaking app for differently abled

New Delhi: “Love knows no bounds” but it sounds quixotic for people with disability. Being prejudiced for their condition, society denies them of their basic rights. On the one hand, they continuously battle with themselves to make their life worthy, on the other hand they fight with society for their existence. Latter being the bigger one. With a new dating and matchmaking app, differently abled can explore and express an emotion called ‘love’ which is presumed to be dead in their mundane lives. Inclov is a matchmaking application for people with disability to find a life partner. Founded by Commerce graduate Kalyani Khona, was quite disheartened with the options people with disability had when it came to finding love. An offline matchmaking agency for people with disability called ‘Wanted Umbrella’ came into existence in 2014. Due to scarcity of apps and portals for visually impaired people, it then evolved into Inclov, an online matchmaking platform for differently abled. While talking to ABP Live Kalyani said, “ We are making the app in local languages (Hindi, Tamil, Bangla) to ensure everyone who wants to find a life partner or love has access to this mobile app on Google playstore”. “The response has been overwhelming but there is a long way to go. Launched on 21st January 2016 we have 4,000 users, 1300 matches”, she informed us. Providing details over safety and security she added, “No one can take screenshots on the app to avoid cyber crime against women. Beyond this, we have mobile number verification and profiles are personally curated to ensure that there are no spam profiles”. Currently, the ratio of men to women registering on the app is 80:20 with the usual age group of 25-55 years. Inclov’s features include:

1. Accessibility: People with retina disorder or colour blindness can choose from various font sizes and colours. Also, visually impaired can access the app through screen reader and talk back.
2. Safety: Protects privacy and keeps spammers and fake profiles at bay.
3. Chat: It allows conversation with connected users via the in-app chat feature so that you don’t have to share emails and phone numbers with strangers.
4. Inclusivity: It includes genuine profiles of people with disability(mental, physical or learning)
5. Matchability: In it you can find a match on the basis of age, location, disability type, medication and cure availability.

Furthermore, monthly offline meet-ups called ‘Social Spaces’ are organized which are open for all registered users. One such meeting, ‘Social Spaces for People with Disability’ was organized in collaboration with British Council, India on August 28th, 2016. ‘Social Spaces’ provide an innovative platform for all users. The meet-ups ensure accessibility in infrastructure as most of disabled-people find it difficult to spend time outdoors as all locations are not disabled-friendly. Here is how ‘Inclov’ works. Once a user downloads the app, they are asked to verify their identity. Once they've registered, Incov users can search for others using filters. All users have to share details about their disability, health disorder, the medical assistance they require, any cure, and their level of independence. They must also provide their age, hobbies and profession. Keeping safety in mind, after a user accepts a friend request, the app doesn't display phone numbers or email IDs and the users can communicate via the in-app chat feature. Inclov application is only available in India and on Android right now, but it will soon have an iOS version as well. Also Read:   3D printer adds a feather on cap for special children