About Me

My name is Josephine Rees (1993). I’m Dutch-British and was raised internationally in Tokyo and Moscow. I recently completed my MSc in Social Policy & Public Health and live in the beautiful city of Amsterdam.

I was confronted with the value of mobility after losing it in an instant. On May 12th, 2017, my friend Aldrin and I survived a near-fatal traffic accident in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. I came out of the accident with a long list of internal injuries, serious facial damage, missing front teeth, and a crushed right leg.

Throughout my recovery, I became increasingly mobile thanks to my wheelchair, rollator, and crutches. Over the course of several years, I re-learned how to walk.

After moving to Amsterdam, I realised there was a lack of centralised information in English about Amsterdam’s accessibility. Advice was limited and inefficiently scattered across dozens of websites. I found resources especially restricted in their tips for the younger generation of mobility aid users. Think – for example – about accessible gyms, nightclubs, restaurants, or bars.

I’m a firm believer in turning the negative into something positive, and my accident has been no exception. Without hesitation, I took up the challenge and founded Able Amsterdam in 2018. My purpose is to highlight accessible places and to encourage people of all levels of mobility to get the most out of this exciting city.

Have fun exploring Amsterdam!