Hello, My name is Sandhya Ravichandran. ^ ^

I'm a social designer committed to making everyday products and services accessible to everyone- regardless of gender, age, ability, or background.

In October 2025, my master’s thesis ‘ Trails Beyond Aisles: Curating Retail for the Many’, will open to the public through an exhibition for nine days (18–26) at Northern Europe’s largest design event- Dutch Design Week (DDW)! It is handpicked for a showcase at the iconic Next Nature Museum, so I’m raising funds to bring this milestone to life.

"I hate to always be prepared because the world is not prepared for me."

- A blind collaborator’s stinging truth and the spark behind 'Trails'.

As someone with childhood myopia who’s worked closely with blind and low-vision communities for this project, I bring unique lived experience and deep empathy to 'Trails'- an immersive proof that disability is a continuous spectrum, not an extreme condition. Your support will fuel a paradigm shift- showing the public and organizations that inclusive design from day one uplifts millions, not just a few.

This exhibit challenges visually dominated, exclusionary product layouts of the retail industry by spotlighting a tech-enabled, multi-sensory approach that transforms shopping into an inclusive, engaging encounter.

Trails: What you can experience

"Imagine stepping into a simulated retail space. You slip on blindfolds (or not) and headphones, and a carefully curated audio layer-assembled from hundreds of real customer reviews, recommendations, and feedback- begins to play. Voice prompts guide your hands to explore each product’s function and form in ways you’ve not experienced before. Sight might fade, while touch and sound take center stage. This sensory-driven encounter explores how exclusionary today’s retail environment can be for people with vision disabilities, and pulls you in to experience it for yourself."

N.B. Some pictures from a pilot prototype of 'Trails' at a flagship retail outlet in the Netherlands have been attached for your reference!

I’m self-funding to preserve this mission, but I need your help to fully realize this showcase- and spark the first of many inclusive design breakthroughs.

I’m aiming to raise €2700 to cover:

N.B. Costs are approximate and may shift slightly as we get closer to the event.

By contributing, you join a movement for social inclusion- making retail spaces welcoming to the many and empowering everyone with the agency we often take for granted.

Every supporter will receive:

Stretch-Goals

At €3000 total raised (an additional €300)

At €3500 total raised (an additional €800)

Your early support is the foundation of this exhibition’s success. Although the show opens in mid-October, I need to finalize all contracts, venue layouts, and furniture rentals by August-September. That way, I can guarantee the immersive, hands-on experience the public deserves.

Join me to turn this mission into reality and move beyond conversation. Let’s help design a world so that more of us feel welcomed and have access to resources. :)

Lastly, in case you are interested to know more about DDW, here is some helpful information and past examples-