Thanks to support from his family and friends, Tan clung to a glimmer of hope and rebuilt his life from a wheelchair, believing “where there’s a will and wheels, there’s a way”.
His tenacity has paid off: on Tuesday, the 58-year-old received the prestigious Oxford Award for Lifetime Achievement in Humanitarian Impact and Global Sustainability, as well as an honorary doctorate, for his contributions to sustainable agriculture, social innovation, and the empowerment of persons with disabilities.
The ceremony, held in the UK at Oxford Town Hall, was certainly timely: Dec 3 is commemorated as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
In the years following his accident, Tang designed a box that uses soil microbiology to harvest vegetables at home. The Organic Regenerative Vegetable Terrarium Hope Box enables even the poorest to feed themselves.
He also started a social enterprise called PWD Smart FarmAbility, and introduced the Regenerative Organic Soil-U-tion Aquaponics Satellite Farm System, an organic way to farm freshwater fishes.
Through PWD Smart Farmability, Tang champions regenerative agriculture, food security solutions, and the philosophy of “food as medicine”, built on the knowledge that food and diet have important roles in supporting health and wellness.
On top of all this, Tang graduated with a PhD in agriculture and food security from Wilmington Metropolitan University on Nov 22. These are impressive achievements for someone who once contemplated “exiting the earth”.
“I am overwhelmed that someone from a marginalised community is experiencing inclusion,” Tang told FMT Lifestyle.
“Inclusion is not about giving charity; it is about giving opportunity. It is about recognising the inherent worth and potential of every individual, regardless of their backgrounds and abilities.
“It is about building systems that empower rather than exclude, that uplift rather than oppress.”
During the Oxford ceremony, Tang officially launched his coffee table book, “The PWD Smart FarmAbility – Journey from Wheels to Farm”, which details his innovations and the impact these have made.
He also unveiled a song, “Rise Again”, dedicated to Tang and written by Vincent Yong, Oxford Awards’ Asia region strategic representative.
‘Rising up, breaking through’
Maximus Pheng, who had proposed that Tang be nominated for the Oxford award, told FMT Lifestyle: “I saw him rising up after his accident, breaking through and inspiring others. Through his life, I hope the younger generation will learn about perseverance.”
Pheng, 54, also received the Oxford Award for Excellence in Ethical Leadership and an honorary doctorate in financial education.
As for what’s next, Tang shared: “My vision is to see every street and community with persons with disabilities have access to nutritious food.”
To that end, he has introduced his inventions in over 30 schools in Selangor with the Integrated Special Education Programme (PPKI), aiming to equip students with the skills, knowledge and confidence to be entrepreneurs.
His goal is for them to be self-sustaining in the future instead of relying on the public’s goodwill to survive.
Next, he plans to introduce a Nature-Inspired Oxygen Wellness Hub in these schools, an innovative facility designed to promote respiratory health and holistic wellbeing.
And in the future, he hopes a technology hub displaying innovations by persons with disabilities can be built. “This is where we can show others what we are capable of.”
Indeed, Tang’s success in turning “bitter into better” is a powerful inspiration, one that testifies to how one great things can be accomplished through faith, determination and perseverance.
Billy Tang’s book ‘The PWD Smart FarmAbility – Journey from Wheels to Farm’ is priced at RM200. To purchase, contact 012-233 0409.
Learn more about PWD Smart FarmAbility via its website, as well as on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.