Speaking on ETV's Sunday morning talk show "Hommik Anuga," Rosin said conversations about disability in Estonia are still marked by discomfort and avoidance. That hesitation, he argued, stands in the way of concrete change.

December 3 marks the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. To draw attention to the day, he traditionally tries his hand at a new profession and makes a short, playful video about his experience.

Last year, Rosin, who is blind, stepped into the role of an auto mechanic.

"Disability is this kind of frightening topic here," Rosin said, pointing out that even on December 3, people tend to speak about disability in overly solemn terms. "We don't dare talk about it, and people often don't dare ask about it."

While empathy matters, he stressed that empathy in the vein of "it must be so hard" alone does not remove barriers.

"Of course it's hard," Rosin said. "But the fact that it's hard doesn't make a mall elevator talk or turn stairs into a ramp. We have to actually do something."

Together with his wife, Maarja, Rosin founded Ligipääsuke, a company that provides accessibility consulting to organizations and engages more broadly in accessibility advocacy.

Maarja Rosin said that when launching their business, they closely analyzed earlier approaches to accessibility. Much of the public conversation, she said, has relied on sentimental storytelling that has failed to deliver real results.

Instead, they aim to use humor and small twists, such as Rosin's videos, to shift the attention toward solutions.

The couple has also developed a kind of "secret language" to navigate social situations. Maarja Rosin said she wanted to avoid moments where sighted people communicate silently with each other while Rosin is left out.

"It's unfair that you and I can look at each other and roll our eyes," she cited as an example. Creating shared cues, she added, is one way of making communication more accessible.

Maarja Rosin: We're just a married couple

The Rosins are enthusiastic travelers, spending around three months abroad last year. Most trips combine business with pleasure, though they made time at the end of the year to fully unplug during a visit to Thailand's Phi Phi Islands.

Because Rosin has been fully blind since birth, Maarja often describes parts of their surroundings he cannot access through other senses. Over time, they've developed a shared understanding of what details matter most.

Architectural details, Rosin said, are often less important than everyday human moments — such as a kid eating a jam sandwich so enthusiastically that their nose ended up covered in jam.

Maarja Rosin was careful to stress that she is not her husband's aide or caregiver.

"We're married," she emphasized, adding that they divide things up like ay other married couple.

"Sometimes I'll hear people say I'm the spouse of a disabled person and simultaneously also his caregiver or aide of some kind," she continued. "But in our marriage, I am in no way [Jakob's] aide. We're a husband and wife who go out and have fun, travel, relax and work together."

Jakob Rosin said they share many dreams — including prioritizing experiences over material possessions. The couple agreed years ago to stop giving each other physical gifts for birthdays and holidays.

"We try to gift each other experiences, since they're what really matter," he said. "And one of our dreams is to keep adding to our store of experiences."

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