‘We exist but we are ignored’: The Iranian disability rights activist on a mission to change things

Vahid Rajbaloo says one of the biggest problems people with disabilities face is that others do not know how to interact with them

Vahid Rajabloo (Twitter/Independent Persia)

This article first appeared in our partner site, Independent Persian

At the 40th Fajr Film Festival in Tehran, among the documentaries featured was one on the life of Vahid Rajabloo, an entrepreneur living with disability.

Directed by Mohsen Hadi, One of My Dreams introduced more people to this young entrepreneur but Vahid Rajabloo was already a well-known name in the start-up world.

Launching a series of businesses in health services, he has not only created jobs but has drawn attention towards people with disabilities and those with limited mobility. The Junior Chamber International, a youth NGO, named him in its list of 10 influential people last year.

Rajabloo, 34, is inflicted with a rare neuromuscular disorder that has led to his muscles gradually wasting away. This condition, which according to Rajabloo has worsened in recent years, meant that he was homebound in his teens.

“My condition has worsened in the past 15 or 16 years. The worse it gets, the more my movement is restricted,” Vahid says.

“The hardest part of a disabled person’s life is not being able to leave home. You always need another person, which not everybody has. Parents are often unable to help because of their age. I’ve spent most of the years of my life in a single room. It feels like you are in a prison, condemned to stay home.”

Speaking of his experience of being forced to stay at home, which he likens to imprisonment, Rajabloo told Independent Persian:“The difference between this kind of life and prison is that you don’t even have a cellmate. At most, you might have a pet. Or your friends come visit. It isn’t so bad sometimes. If you’re able to, you can read.”

Rajabloo is grateful, however, that the internet exists. Describing his own social media activities, he says: “I use the internet for work but I probably spend about 20 percent of my time on social media. The internet was my whole life but now I’ve been able to be more present in society through my work. Social media isn’t the best place. I have used it but if you’re not careful, you’ll waste your time. I use it to build a better culture and create awareness.”

In addition to his business work, Rajabloo also takes an interest in education.

This is what led him to establish an academy, which is still in its initial stages. Among its more popular courses is a communication course, which helps attendees gain employment. He is also planning to launch a project for teaching sign language to those with hearing difficulties. There are also support programs for families who have a person who has become disabled due to an accident.

Among the goals of his academy and the educational Tavanito project is teaching various groups in society about how they could live, work and co-exist together. Vahid believes the biggest problem those with limited mobility face is that others don’t know how to successfully co-exist with them.

Elaborating on his personal experience, he says: “A few days ago I went to the bank on some business. I took a companion with me as I needed someone to accompany me. But the bank’s manager kept addressing him. I protested and told the manager that as I was the customer, I should be addressed. However, unfortunately, he kept on doing the same thing. Maybe he thought I was unable to take care of my own affairs. This behaviour is unfortunately prevalent”.

He wants to expand his educational project: “Tavanito has already achieved great things in helping the launch of healthcare start-ups. We might not have created employment directly but we took the first step which quickly led to other services launched in this sector and this makes me very happy”.

Vahid says his next project is to enable “rating places” based on how accessible they are for people with limited mobility. He said they need partners and investors for this project.

He has previously expressed his desire to see people like himself represented in stories and literature.

As for his own experience of being in front of the camera, he says: “I always wanted to see someone like myself in stories. We are present and we exist but we are ignored. As if a world exists but you have been eliminated from it. Entering the world of cinema was a lovely experience. It gave me the opportunity to be seen. Not that I want to get famous and make demands. But because people can now hear stories they didn’t know about previously”.

He says he has developed an interest in acting and is very comfortable in front of the camera. There are not very many people with disabilities who have entered the acting world, or who have been accepted into it. He is hoping that this could change.

Rajabloo also speaks about those who used his friendship to opportunistically further their own goals. “Their actions prove my strength,” he says. “And that I have my own position, style and ability. I say this with pride because I do have my abilities.”

He mentions those who have helped him in his success and says he is always indebted to them. Even if he cannot do anything for them, he will try to use the opportunity they gave him to pave the path for others.

Rajabloo speaks of his dream of becoming “famous, rich and more able”.

“The first reason I want to be rich is that I need to pay for the cost of my treatment and care which is expensive. In addition, to create opportunities for others, I need wealth. I don’t just want to accumulate money, I want to create value”.

“I have seen how I’ve been a burden to people close to me as a desperate, unable and moneyless person,” he adds.

“But I’ve also seen the opposite: how other people can be easy around me. When I get rich, I’ll make sure to show you the result.”

Reviewed and proofread by Tooba Ali and Celine Assaf