No excuses: "The state - that's me" - An interview with Roman Araninym

Roman Aranin - a former pilot and now a businessman, was created by Observer, which makes the Rolls-Royce'y in the world of disability techniques. After an unsuccessful flight on a paraglider Roman was seriously injured, but it made him look for any excuse.

Interview with Roman turned out incredibly kind and endlessly fascinating. We talked about our country, about the business and the people. The novel - a man truly in love with life. And it seems that it meets him in return.

Man Flying

- Hello, Roman! Thank you for agreeing to participate in this special project.

- Hello, Anastasia! You have a wonderful special project.

- Tell us a little about your childhood where you were born, brought up in a family?

- I have a classic Soviet family: my mother - a teacher, father - the military. Therefore, from the memories - airports and planes buzzing over his head. Born in the Saratov region, Hay station. Then his father was transferred to Kyrgyzstan, then in Alma-Ata. There and finished school.

- Not all the time it was hard to move, to leave with friends?

- Not. I easily rebuilt. New schools and new people I like. I generally like people. :)

- Your father - the military. You went in his footsteps?

- Yes. There was no question who to be. Planes fly overhead - well, someone else to be? At age 14, I was already in the flying club, and a 15-yourself flying sport plane. In 10th grade I went to the airport with a book "Guide to the pilot of the Yak-52" under his arm. A pilot - it's you and there's ...

- And I did not want to arrange a riot and choose another profession?

– Not.

To fly - it's really cool. You look out the window - only the gray sky, and you sit on a plane, punched cloudy, and there - a blue sky and white fluffy clouds at the bottom.

- Then why are gone from the air?

- In 1992, the service came only to teach "materiel" and paint the curbs. The officer rank... kerosene was not. It was not flat. There was no money.

And I - "the proud mountaineer." I already had a family, a wife and a child, it was necessary to keep their dignity.

Also, I'm creative nature. And the army without flights creativity has a very indirect relationship.

In Russia, however, it is just the nascent business. Back and leaned.

crazy race

- What were the first attempts to suddenly opened the field of capitalism?

- Well, about how the sandwiches sold, probably not worth it ...

- And is it? :)

- It was. :)

Even at the darkest time of the pilots were fed good - burgers, meat, chocolate. But the people did not go to these dinners - 4th year, everything is zhenatiki. I collected these burgers, took the girls to the medical unit of the white coat and went to the station to sell sandwiches. At my aunt-barmaid sandwiches were dried up, with a thin slice of bread and a cutlet. And I - a thick slice of bread, a layer of oil, two burgers and the price is 2 times lower. The competition was unequal - I tracked down the waitress and handed over to the police. I was taken, called the military prosecutor - it went to expulsion. Of course, he fell on his knees, showed a photo of his wife and daughter - were released, but said, "To no you were not here!".

- And then what?

- Then he retired from the army, he returned to Almaty, took a couple of overcoats, left over from the service and went to China. I sold them there. The parents of the dog whelp - still took the money. So there was a start-up capital for the first business - company R-Style, which still works.

- I understand that it is pointless to ask, how did your life change after the injury. It is clear that very much. It is better to tell us how you have changed?

- Before the injury I have been some crazy race. I remember well my feeling: like everything is a (strong business, some things), all turns, and you are deeply unhappy man.

It may sound strange, but after the injury I have found happiness. Even a year after her when still did not move anything, I was a happy man.

Just imagine, I walk with friends (food in a wheelchair in a half state, because really could not sit), we pass by the Kaliningrad Cathedral. Beautiful old building - 750 years old, yet the Teutons built. And I know that every morning I ran here, walk the dog. But nothing I have not seen it. And now the food and see the cathedral, beautiful leaves, chestnuts, sky ...

Probably, it was necessary to stop and see what this life is beautiful.

- You do not want to shut down, to sit at home and did not see?

- On the contrary, after the injury I had a steady stream of friends and acquaintances. Surprisingly, people carried me their problems. Rather, sort of like coming to visit, and it turned out so that was poured on me all their complexity.

I guess I was just a very patient listener - you can not run the same anywhere. :) And they weighed their own problems and my (my usually "a little" outweighed) and calmed down.

Now, of course, I have no one takes as a disabled person. They come only for business advice.

Tanks are not afraid of dirt

- Roman, tell us about the Observer. What does your company do?

- Speaking of the wheelchair, you need to understand how much a person has limitations. People are used to that wheelchair users - is a person who is actively spinning wheel. When only paralyzed legs and arms work, nothing better "aktivki" you can imagine.

I was lucky a little bit less. I turned out that the first time I could only move his lips and blinking after the injury. Standard wheelchair was not for me.

Faced with the task to get out of the house.

I have a friend - Boris Yefimov. We went together to the mountains in Almaty, together arrived at the flying club. He is absolutely brilliant technical thinking. Even at school we were making some light music, going over the engines and so on. He became my companion for Observer'u.

With him, we have to think how to solve the problem. And come up with a set seat stroller gyroscope that monitors the carriage position in space and holds a seat in the horizon. That is the frame with wheels may be at an angle of 30-35º, and you do not sense - sitting straight, and you will sit. This idea came to us after I was going down to the sea, fell out of the carriage face into the asphalt. Thus was born Observer.

We were joined by another man - Yuri Zakharov (once my personal assistant, and now my deputy).

We began to develop the idea. Boris literally handloom grind parts, trying different gears, motors.

There are new goals. In particular, I have personally. Already I did not want to just go out and ride with the child in the woods or the sand dunes. So there Terrain wheelchair, on which you can walk, and the beach and through the forest.

We experimented on - it turned out that our stroller can also go up the stairs.

And then it was time to share all of this with the world.

- It was hard to run a business in Russia?

- We are de facto run the production of carriages in Russia, God forbid, in January.

- That is all going abroad?

- Yes.

I have a girlfriend Chinese. We have been friends for a long time, just since 1992, when I retired from the army. Girl like as well as non-graduates, but sensible - it has at the moment 2 factories and 400 employees. I told her that I wanted to do a carriage, and it turned out that she had a neighboring factory has engaged in this.

Now the situation is like this: we buy in the UK electronics, buy gearboxes in Germany, buy motors in Taiwan, we send all this in China, where all this is going.

But gradually we go to to start production in Russia. The shop is ready.

- It reduce the cost of manufactured products?

- I think we will stay in the same price, because we the people have to pay more. But we will win more on the quality and timing. That is, when sales in Argentina, Brazil, Australia, logistics is still more profitable to produce in China. And while sales in Europe (plan to enter the Italian and German market) will gather here.

- I got acquainted with your prices. I think that in Russia for a person with average incomes, it is expensive. You provide benefit programs?

- Even some 5-6 years ago, any stroller with a drive in the country was just a dream inaccessible for the disabled. Now, the state allocates completely different money. Social welfare agencies buy our stroller and give them away for free to the needy. Of course, getting good and expensive rehabilitation facility is very troublesome, but possible.

The state - that's us

- Roman, you travel a lot, including in Europe. Do you have something to compare. In your opinion, our country is ever to reach the European level in terms of barrier-free environment and social security?

- Probably some Danes and Swedes will still be ahead of the rest, because they have long been engaged in this. But I have a clear conviction that in the next 5-7 years, we have more or less leave the European level.

- Do not you think that Russia is very "in Russian." Money is allocated, but everything is done through the ...

- It was therefore obliged to register their own disability organizations. All-Russian Society of Disabled People, no offense, but it does not work. Money is allocated, but no activity. So I gathered their activists and, Artem Moiseenko, He created his "The ark".

We have made it our main goal is just to deal with inappropriate use of funds. Here is an example.

In Kaliningrad, about 30 lifts track was purchased (the cheapest of all the technical solutions). Recently come to the Arbitration Court, equipped with such a lift - it does not work. They no one ever uses it, the battery is empty, people are not trained. After a day come to the World Ocean Museum - the same story... the money is spent, but nothing works.

Therefore, we are trying to take control of the money is in the recovery stage, when just formed technical task. That if the procuring stupenkohod, then walking, able to climb any stairs with any coatings; that if the ramp is for all building codes. You also need to take control of all newly constructed and renovated facilities. Because people often do not out of malice does not finish, they just do not understand - think bordyurchik 3 cm, which he will create difficulties, and the person in a wheelchair will fly at him at full speed and injured.

In connection with this summer plan to the sea, in Svetlogorsk, a series of seminars on the creation of barrier-free environment and invite all stakeholders - architects, builders, officials. For teaching will invite experts from Berlin and London.

- And the state does not put a spoke in the wheels all of these initiatives?

- I have a feeling that the state is slightly turned its face to the non-profit organizations. They are ready for dialogue and cooperation, because it can not handle themselves.

For example, we currently have a project to create a network of repair shops for wheelchairs (already opened in Kaliningrad, open in Sochi, Orel, Voronezh, Murmansk). Sotssluzhby pray on it - they just do not have time to do that.

- Well, the government turned its face. And the people? Is the mentality of people is changing?

- Here, just, in my opinion, the main problem. Thank you, by the way, your special projects - you're doing a great thing, to break stereotypes.

And is it important. We need to show examples of what you can live differently, even in difficult physical position.

We have a Soviet "pellet". Yes, it was a good country, but the initiative was all the same punished. We believed that the state to us that something must. And it should not be us nothing. Because the state - is us. The state - that's me.

You know, I'm not ashamed of Russia, when I come to England or Denmark. Because Russia - it was me. I'm not ashamed of themselves. I speak in English, Chinese, I'm working.

When you walk through the exhibition in Düsseldorf, where almost all products from Denmark and the Netherlands. Once we were in a town in the north of Denmark, where the population of 14 million (in the whole of Denmark - about 5 million.). In Russia, these towns are all very sad. And in Denmark, moreover, that there is clean, there still is Industrial Area, where he works for 15-20 plants. It's all private capital. Private initiative.

And we are great, we can not do at this do? All we can. Just have to cross that barrier and do. And all will turn out.

proud knotweed

- Our project is called "No excuses." What does this mean for you - do not look for any excuses?

- When you have a broken neck or spine, there is a great "excuse" - I'm disabled, I'm going to work?! And there is a temptation to put pressure on the pity: I am disabled - give me a special discount, I was late because I was in a wheelchair.

For myself, I do not accept such things. After all, I'm the same Roman Aranin that was 9 years ago, I enjoy the same high peaks, beautiful girls and interesting places. Planck fell.

On the contrary, I began to demand of himself even more. Do not let yourself or late, or moonlight. This gives me the right to demand the same from their subordinates.

I think when you ask strictly to themselves, you and the surrounding perceive differently. Stroller goes by the wayside - you're just a competent person to whom you can seek professional advice.

- But constant demand from yourself - it's hard. Sometimes, for sure, I want to give up on everything by hand. What are the main motivating factors in your life?

- First - it's family. I have already said, I - "the proud mountaineer," I need to have my family had the best of everything. I have two daughters - one is studying in Beijing, and the second 13 years. You just have to paddle, to your family was fine.

Second - it's the journey. I like traveling very much. And I like that in my business I can combine work and leisure: going somewhere in Europe for training, stazhirueshsya 3-4 days, and then you go to get acquainted with the country.

The third - a desire to help. Unfortunately, such examples as Xenia Bezuglova, Artem Moiseenko, I - this is the exception rather than the rule. We have developed the right star: has hardened the will, the wife did not leave, parents and friends were there.

Some people are lucky less. Unfortunately, less driven in 9 of 10 cases. But I can influence it. Through personal involvement, through the creation of disability organizations, through interaction with the government - the situation can and must change.

For example, we went to Lithuania, there is a wonderful old town by the sea, made disabled for the disabled. Seven people from our organization 10 days to live there free of charge. I saw his eyes burned children. It's me, maybe go to Lithuania already uninteresting, but for them it was an event. For this, too, is to paddle forward.

- Roman, what do you dream?

- Previously, when a falling star always thinks of love and be loved. Now with this kind of all right - and love and love.

So I want a small factory.

I want to come to a disabled person to work in a wheelchair, and he knew that he had done it himself. And then at the same exhibition in Düsseldorf, he represented Russia, and on the back of his carriage was written - made in Russia.

I am a great patriot. :)

- I sincerely wish that your dream came true. Finally wish something readers Layfhakera.

- I wish to break the barriers that exist in our minds. Break the mood - "everything is bad, it's time to throw." It is wrong.

You just need to start with yourself. Move away from the moth dies, and make their lives better, more active, drink it in large gulps. And you will see how everything changes around.

- Roman, thank you very much for the interview. It was very interesting!

- Thank you, Anastasia, and Layfhakeru for stunning special project "No excuses."