‘Wikiheba mwana’ centre, literally ‘don’t lose hope child’ situated  in Ngarama sector of Gatsibo District  says that it does not have enough funds to fulfil all responsibilities as the number of children increases.

The president of this centre Mediatrice Mukasharangabo said that in the last 5 years this centre has been operating while receiving and caring for children with mental health problems, 300 children has passed through this centre and 73 children managed to get special support and some are in schools and performing very well.

This centre helps these mentally disabled children to be able to attend schools and study with normal students and those who are in delicate situations are trained in a way that they can get better, they help children with other body disabilities to be  get better and those without some body parts to get prosthesis or thesis  appliances.

Due to the kind of work this centre gets, Mukasharangabo said that it needs self sacrifice and enough funds which is a limitation to them and makes them fail to fulfil their responsibilities.

She gave examples like not getting wheel chairs for handicapped children; people to support these children by taking them to toilets and eating while they are at school, special medical care needed by some children and many other things they cannot provide due to low funds.

People who visit this centre are always surprised by the way children who are brought here are given much care though the centre is needs support.

Some of the children who come here from when they are neglected in their homes manage to perform well in schools. Among 38 children in this centre, 13 attend primary schools and are good performers and 2 are already in secondary schools and they are also doing very well.

Mukasharangabo said that if this centre can get support, it can help many children from different sectors neighbouring Ngarama sector and get hope for the future as some are even treated and get better and stop being thought of problems and not be allowed to interact with other children because of their disabilities like some of the families do instead of treating them as children.

Residents of Bugesera District have been pursued to dedicate their valuable time in helping disabled children among others according to the District MayorLouis Rwagaju, during recent celebrations of African child.

Louis Rwagaju asked those who had attended these celebrations to respect and protect all children’s rights and especially the handicapped whether in education, entertainment and in anything else they would like to do as the government usually calls them to do.

“This is the reason that the government puts in place infrastructure that favours handicapped people whether in school they are given chairs that support them and their special toilets and the law that states every storied building should have a way for the disabled people.” He explained.

This function was opened with sports of the disabled children, plays, poetry and dances that all tackle the theme of the day which stated “Children with disabilities, the duty to protect, respect, promote and fulfil”

Vestine Ntirenganya one of the children with disabilities from Ririma sector in Bugesera district said that though the leaders usually teach and advise people about children rights there is a long way to go.

She said “some parents don’t yet understand children’s rights especially the handicapped ones and that’s why leaders should always remind people and parents take a responsibility to attend those teachings.”

Children who presented dances, poems and plays that were talking about the theme of the day were awarded and all children who attended these celebrations were given some of the scholastic materials.

18 year aged Innocent Nsabimana, a resident of Rukura cell, Gashenyi sector in Gakenke district said he quit school due to severe punishments from his teacher.

Nsabimana Innocent on his bicycle

Nsabimana Innocent, who is a bicycle rider at base trading centre and a retailer at Base market, narrates: “My teacher used to beat me so much and sent me for my parents one day, but when I told my parents they beat me as well.”

Nsabimana says he was in primary four when he dropped out of school. He went to Kigali city to look for money but he agrees knowing how to read and write.

Nsabimana reveals that although he was in school, he loved working for money and to him, beating paved his way to looking for money.

However, Nsabimana regrets dropping out of school saying he would be a secondary school leaver and hoping for a better future.

Ndikumana, a primary school teacher applauds the government that banned beating children in schools, because some teachers forced some children to leave school through severe beatings.

He adds that it’s good to advise a child or punish in another way because canning breaks the bone but does not change behavior.  

During this period when Rwandans are in the mourning period for the 1994 genocide against Tutsis, support is being solicited for the poor survivors.

In this way, the residents of Rustiro district in the Western province are being thanked by the administrators for the amount that they have brought together about 7.5m that will be used to support the poor genocide survivors.

According to the mayor of Rustiro district Gaspard Byukusenge, Rwf7.5m were collected in all 13 sectors in this district during the memorial week.

As he went on to say, he thanked all the people for showing the loving heart and the way they participated in the programs of memorial week and especially for giving all they can to support the poor genocide survivors.

He said that they are yet to sit and think of what to do with this money to have a developmental impact on these survivors.

Last year, in this district Kivumu sector was the first in giving support to genocide survivors.

Ibuka in Rulindo district is calling for special treatment for those with chronic diseases resulting from the 1994 genocide against Tutsi.

The leadership of Ibuka in Rulindo district said that though genocide survivors who cannot support themselves are given medicine, there is special treatment and medicine that should be given to those with difficult and chronic diseases.

Eric Rubayita the director of Ibuka in Rulindo district said, “There is a need for special treatment to the people that got chronic diseases due to the genocide, and if nothing is done soon, some people might lose their lives when we still need them”.

He said that there is a way that they are preparing a way for people to get services from big hospitals since some of these diseases are curable.

He thanked FARG that supports and helps genocide survivors who are not able to support themselves in accommodation, education and in medical care.

As a way of fighting malnourishment, every home in Bugesera district has been encouraged to have a kitchen garden (akarima k’igikoni) so that vegetables are eaten often.

Having akarima k’igikoni does not require one to have a big space because of the way it can be made to fit on a small area.

Kitchen garden (Akarima k’igikoni)

Goretti Nyiramana, community health worker of Rwaniro cell in Gashoro sector asserts that a kitchen garden is a must have for every home because it’s the easiest way of fighting malnutrition.

“Akarima k’igikoni is the simplest way of growing vegetables without a big area and expensive materials. You can use old basins, buckets and others can be used to grow carrots, onions and cabbages,” says Goretti Nyiramana.

Jeanne Mukandayisenga, a nutritionist at ADEPR Nyamata Hospital encourages parents to care for their children and prevent malnutrition.

“It’s not necessary to buy vegetables when there is an easy way of having your garden,” adds Mukandayisenga.

Mukandayisenga elaborates that what makes the whole process simple and affordable is the fact that vegetables can be grown as flowers in flower pots or vases and look like decorations when catered for.

In order to fight malnutrition in Bugesera, a team of people was chosen for making kitchen gardens in every home and giving them seeds to grow.