About Travel Hands

Travel Hands is more than just a service — it’s a story of connection, compassion, and community. It’s the story of a visually impaired person who sees the world through their heart and mind, and of a sighted person who is willing to walk beside them, quite literally, to help them experience freedom, safety, and joy.
We are a registered charity in London (Charity No. 1201509) dedicated to transforming the way blind and partially sighted people experience outdoor travel. By matching Visually Impaired People (VIPs) with verified, local volunteers — called Travel Hands Volunteers — we create safe, convenient, and affordable ways for VIPs to move through their cities, reconnect with society, and live more independently.

Our Story

The idea for Travel Hands began not in a boardroom, but at a party.

Our founder, who was diagnosed with Keratoconus and once faced the terrifying possibility of losing his own vision, understood deeply the importance of support and access. During his time as a student, he interned with a charity supporting the blind and partially sighted — a formative experience that planted a seed of purpose.
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One evening, he accompanied a few blind friends to a social gathering. As they laughed, navigated busy streets, and shared stories together, one of them joked, “You’d make a great Uber driver for blind people!”
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That light-hearted comment sparked a serious idea.
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What if getting around could be safer, simpler, and more human for visually impaired people?What if volunteers from the community could step in — just like he had — to offer companionship and guidance?
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And so, Travel Hands was born.
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Today, what started as a moment of empathy has become a growing movement for inclusion and mobility.

Meet Our Team

Ishan Jha

Founder & CEO

a seasoned Service Designer with over 10 years of experience working across multinational companies, government bodies, charities, and start-ups. His expertise blends design thinking, entrepreneurship, and engineering to create meaningful social impact.The idea for Travel Hands emerged from his thesis on improving employability for visually impaired people, inspired by his own close encounter with vision loss. Today, he leads Travel Hands with a mission to make mobility safer, more inclusive, and empowering for the blind and partially sighted.

Piyush Choudhary

Trustee

Piyush brings a wealth of experience in product development and plays a key role in shaping the growth and strategy of Travel Hands. He actively contributes to both the product vision and business development, helping ensure the service remains impactful, user-focused, and scalable.

Piyush Choudhary

Trustee

Dr. Marco, a longtime volunteer and passionate advocate for Travel Hands, brings decades of leadership experience to the organisation. Formerly the CEO and President of KOP/FSSL Ltd — a $500M global manufacturer in the Oil & Gas sector — he now supports Travel Hands in its journey to scale impact and strengthen strategic direction.A retired professional and doctorate holder, Marco continues to give back by guiding our growth and championing the role of volunteers at the heart of our mission.