March 29, 2024

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Meet Mukandandayisenga, An entrepreneur despite being visually impaired

Born in 1994, Mukandandayisenga has completed Senior Six and today she is an entrepreneur despite being visually impaired.

Very confident and hope for a better Future, Mukandayisenga does weaving in Rugabano Centre of Karongi District.

At her 9 years old, Mukandayisenga became visually impaired.

“I had fever and during that time, my nerve cells were damaged by the fever that was the result of malaria” Mukandayisenga said.

Mukandayisenga has not been mistreated by her family members like it happened to most of the people with disabilities.

“Since then my parents has been treating me well! They took me to school and to date I have a secondary school Certificate in combined History, Economics and Geography.”

After completing her Secondary School, Mukandayisenga has managed to invest her little money that she had by buying a Weaving machine and today she manages to live on herself without depending much on her parents among them her father is also visually impaired.

“I had little money after School completion!” She says

“I decided to buy a machine; today I am able to serve the community here and even providing weaved pull-overs to those who want them.” She explained.

Mukandayisenga is able to weave various types of clothing on her own.

She pays a rent of 15,000 Rwf every month and 15,000 Rwf monthly payment to her aide who is always working with her in Rugabano Centre.

Her business locates in this centre of Rugabano in Karongi District

However Mukandayisenga is not secure as she says “There are some men there who harass her” and recently a man that she says “She knows him” has tried to do sexual violence against and fortunately the nearby colleagues saved her.

Being hopeless due to lack of justice to her case, Mukandayisenga angrily said she will take the case to the higher Level as she said “Local leaders have failed to take to justice the man who was going to rape her.”

In General, Mukandayisenga says “Local leaders mistreat me for instance that unsorted case which I see if nothing done it will be a green card for all who want to cause violence against me!”

For a better future Mukandayisenga is willing to continue University studies.

“With the help of God, If I have means I can continue to University.”

Many people with the same disabilities have managed to study and among them there are University Graduates.

With her works, Mukandayisenga manages to have at least 50,000 Rwf per month among them she pays a rent of 15,000 Rwf and 15,000 to her aide.

Mukandayisenga is facing a threat to her business that she see if well-wishers support her she can overcome it.

Having completed Senior Six at Gatagara School in Rwamagana, Mukandayisenga was unable to pay all her school fees hence the school didn’t hand over her certificate.

“Because I don’t have certificate, Bank cannot lend me additional amount so I can expand my business.”

Mukandayisenga parents are in category 1 of Ubudehe. However there are types of support that she is not getting as she says

She says “I wish to be given my own category because I do have disability and that justifies my special case that needs special attention.”

She says they have formed a local cooperative of Blinds which she is a leader but still challenged by lack of financial means.

“Today I have life management skills…but I want Rwanda Union of Blinds to train me on Business Development and Management.”

Mukandayisenga’s vision is to keep working hard for Self-reliance.

Also she calls for the continuous advocacy by RUB so she is able to get supported in sorting out key challenges that she identified which include lack of  Financial means to expand her business, lack of security as visually impaired women and lack of 100,000Rwf that she owes her school to get Certificate that can enable her acquire bank loan.

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