TAMAR Cordover is advocating for a cause that hits close to home. A lover of nature, organic produce and just the simplicity of being outside and being in the garden, Ms Cordover’s work focuses primarily on inclusion and sustainability through her company Compass Disability.
She says this is “a really nice way of bringing two things that I value and advocate for together.”
Her work has been recognised statewide with Ms Cordover one of four finalists in this year’s AgriFutures Rural Womens awards to be announced this month. As someone who has acquired a disability, MsCordover says she knows what it’s like to be “accidentally excluded” from doing things that aren’t accessible.
“I found it difficult to be in natural spaces and there weren’t really the frameworks or support for people with disabilities to be able to continue with garden or get into it.”
“What I’m trying to foster is accidental inclusion where we start to think about every structure and projectswe build that there is always a lense for disability.”
Her awards project aims to support women with disabilities to engage in macro enterprises in agriculture.
“Rural women with disabilities tend to be easily excluded from major employment and isolated in general.
“Some women living in rural areas have actually said that it’s hard for them to access fruit and vegetables,” she said.
She said a lot of people might not necessarily have connections with the National Disability Insurance Scheme so her work aimed to be able to get rural women with disabilities to connect with the community and with each other. Ms Cordover said a goal was to provide pathways for people generate an income.
Based in South Arm in the state’s south-East, she is currently building paths that are wide enough for wheelchair access in her garden at her property. Ms Cordover and her team are experimenting with different surfaces for wheelchairs as well as easy transfers between the vehicle and the garden.
Ms Cordover said she would use the winner’s $15,000 to co-design with women with disabilities to ensure that the workshops Compass offers are meeting the needs of people with disabilities. She would like to run workshops that are focused on networking and education to start working towards macroenterprises for individuals.