32-year-old Oliver Straub from Friedrichshafen has made the dream of the aviation already true – namely with a Paragliding-tandem flight in his wheel chair. Since a dive in shallow water Oliver is paralysed. He depends on an electric wheel chair because also his arms are affected by the paralysis.

Thanks to assistance regulations in Germany Oliver lives independently. He lives in own appartement, goes out and on holiday, speaks in care schools on the topic of the personal budget and shares his experience with other persons affected. Personal assistance allows him a lot of freedom and enabled great experiences. But indeed, for a high price.

Caught at social aid level
The assistance is regulated in a way that the same legal rules are valid like for persons who do not work and have no income. This means that people like Oliver may not earn more than 798 EUR per month – every amount in addition, is claimed back by the social office with at least 40%. They may conclude no building society savings agreement or no life insurance and save a maximum of 2.600 EUR. With this situation Oliver sees himself caught in a life at social aid level without aiming or motivation to look for a better paid job. And if he thinks of the future, he fears old-age poverty because he may save no money to make provision for the age.

Tour of hope
There is hope for changes which should remove this mismanagement for about 300.000 persons affected in Germany: the so called „Bundesteilhabegestz“ (Law for federal participation in Germany). And therefore Oliver mobilizes – and in the most true sense of the word. He comes along from the 20th August  to the 7th of September 2015 all the way from Friedrichshafen to Berlin for a fair Bundesteilhabegesetz – and by own strength with his electric wheel chair. He wants to use the tour to point to the injustice and to clear up about the demands.