On 22 December 2023, IZERE MUBYEYI ORGANIZATION hosted an event for children with disabilities in its Special Needs Education Center located in Kigali, Kicukiro District, to share joy of Christmas celebration. This event aimed at promoting the rights of children with disabilities and the principle of social inclusion along with Rwanda inclusive development agenda which recognizes that people with disabilities have equals rights as of every human to enjoy life, to be empowered and contribute to national transformation.
A charitable family of Justin Semanyenzi and Beatrice Mukabagorora who supported the organization of this event urged all parents not to leave behind children with disabilities.
“Our society lives a lot of stereotypes against children with disabilities and most of the time discriminates them. Most people do not recognize the potentials of children with disabilities. I would like to call all parents to treat all the children with equal rights. I observed that children with disabilities are able, they only need to be empowered and building the capacity of children with disability is the responsibility of every parent.”, said Beatrice Mukabagorora.
The 5th Population and Housing Census of 2022 shows that Rwanda has 11,537,934 persons aged 5 years and above out of whom 391,775 (174,949 males and 216,826 females) have disability. This implies that at the national level, 3.4 % of the resident population aged 5 years and above have a disability.
Rwanda has made a progress in terms of promoting the rights and wellbeing of Persons with Disabilities including the establishment of National Commission for Persons with Disabilities since 2011, adopting laws and national policies to promote social inclusion of the persons with disability and equal participation in national socio-economic growth. However, a number of challenges including lack of awareness, poverty, low income, illiteracy, and unemployment continue to restrict the full enjoyment of disability rights. Moreover, the culture-based stigma and discrimination stereotypes among families of persons with disabilities hinder the achievement of societal inclusion whereas persons with disabilities remain among the most socially disadvantaged groups.
“Historically, in the culture of Rwandans, especially illiterates, it has always been considered as shameful to give a birth to a child with disability. There is a mindset that a child with disability is a symbol of unlucky family, a family in close relations with devils. Most of the persons with disabilities are considered as useless and some of them are hidden and denied interaction with the community. We strive to empower children with disabilities and support their role in building inclusive society.”, said Agnes MUKASHYAKA, Co-founder and Coordinator of IZERE MUBYEYI ORGANIZATION.
Moreover, Agnes benefited from the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), a professional exchange program funded by the U.S. Department of State‘s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, which increased her skills and experience in supporting children with disabilities.
IZERE MUBYEYI ORGANIZATION is a non-governmental organization founded in 2004 by 23 parents of children with intellectual disabilities with a mission to promote the rights and well-being of children with disability through societal inclusion in all spheres of human development. It was granted a legal status by the Ministerial Order N° 39/11 of 02/04/2008 published in Rwanda Official Gazette N° 23 of 8 June 2009 and was registered by Rwanda Governance Board since February 17, 2014.
Their main programmes include special education to children with disabilities, physiotherapy services, resource mobilization to empower and advocate for persons with disabilities as well as community outreach to promote social inclusion. IZERE MUBYEYI ORGANIZATION has established a Special Need Educaction Center which was provisionaly accredited by the National Examination and School Inspection Authority since November 2022.
By: Pierre Celestin MUHINGABIRE
