dragon boat paddlers
Visually-impaired paddlers and volunteers from Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped posing for a group photo with DB Hearts instructors after their fun-filled dragon boat training on a Sunday. Photo credit: Fadzli Jambari

“Paddles Up! One, two, three, four…”

The exuberant and booming voices, which came from a team of dragon boat paddlers from the Singapore Association of the Visually-Handicapped (SAVH), could be heard from the waters along Passion Wave Marina Bay. The group was having their weekly training, conducted by DB Hearts.

Founded by a group of veteran dragon boaters, DB Hearts is a ground-up movement aiming to extend the sport to people with special needs. The team has run classes for various beneficiary groups, including those with intellectual, physical, sensory and developmental disabilities. But how are they able to make such a challenging and strenuous sport accessible to people with disabilities?

Find out how DB Hearts chairperson Desmond Koh does it in our video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDVgpUgj-7Y