My name is Tolga Dokuyucu. I live in Ankara, I’m 40 years old, married, and a father of two. About eight years ago, I lost my vision after hitting my head in a horse-riding accident. When it happened, I started asking myself: How do I adapt? How do I hold on to life? That search eventually led me to Gören Kalpler, an association for the visually impaired, and everything began to change from there.
My Journey to Independence and the Victories Sport Brought Me
Through the association, I received training in independent mobility, self-confidence, and personal care. By working on myself, I gradually reached a point where I could go anywhere on my own, without hesitation.
For a year and a half, maybe two years, I kept asking myself: What can I actually do as a visually impaired person? Then I joined the Visually Impaired Tandem Sports Club. I competed in swimming at national championships, finishing third in Isparta and earning second place across all of Turkey in Sakarya. I also took part in chess tournaments and tried my hand at several other sports.
One of my greatest passions, horse riding, eventually called me back too. Around 2020, I took up para-dressage — sometimes described as ballet on horseback. People around me were worried at first: “You had an accident on a horse, aren’t you afraid?” I kept going anyway. I’ve now been doing para-dressage for four or five years, and my goal is to compete at the 2028 Paralympic Games. That goal isn’t just for me; it’s for every visually impaired child and young person out there. I want horse riding to be recognized as an official Paralympic discipline, and I truly believe I’ll get there.
Discovering WeWALK: "A Support That Builds Real Confidence"
Before WeWALK, I had only heard about it second-hand through friends, from a distance. One day I thought, why not? and submitted an application. After filling out the form, I received a call from the WeWALK team and was invited to a first meet-up, where we were each gifted a WeWALK smart cane. It was part of a wonderful project run in partnership with Arabica Coffee House, and I’ve been walking alongside WeWALK ever since.
I’m genuinely thrilled with WeWALK. It provides an outstanding experience. Thanks to the navigation and AI features, getting to wherever I need to go has become effortless. I’m truly grateful for everything WeWALK has brought into my life.
How It's Changed My Daily Life: "Above-Head Obstacles? No Problem."
The ways WeWALK has enriched my social life are too many to count. When I’m out and about, I can now navigate above-head obstacles with ease, the cane alerts me through vibrations, sensors, and signals. Whenever I want to get somewhere, I enter my destination into the navigation and WeWALK guides me there without a second thought.
Its performance with public transport is especially impressive. Bus announcements in Turkey rarely tell you which stop is coming up or how to get where you’re going. WeWALK fills that gap every single time. It’s a genuinely outstanding piece of work.
My Advice to Others: "Get to WeWALK as Fast as You Can"
To my fellow visually impaired friends who are just beginning their journey toward independent mobility: my first piece of advice is to reach out to WeWALK as soon as possible. There really is no better support out there. I believe WeWALK can help anyone experience independence in the simplest, most accessible way, because it doesn’t just help you navigate the world, it gives you confidence in yourself.
A standard cane can bend, break, or fail to warn you about overhead hazards. WeWALK is a genuinely excellent solution for all of us. That’s why I tell everyone: don’t wait, go to WeWALK now.
WeWALK on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?: "Proud of Turkish Engineers"
Not long ago, I appeared on the Turkish version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and my WeWALK cane never left my side for a single moment. It drew everyone’s attention. The buttons, what it does, the light… I explained everything. The response from people was wonderful. “It’s incredible that something like this exists for you,” they said. And the fact that it was developed by Turkish engineers makes it one of our greatest sources of pride.
WeWALK is not just a cane. It’s a source of confidence and a symbol of independence.
