Ngororero: Parents urged not to discriminate Children with Disabilities as Reading Month closes

By: Isabella Iradukunda Elisabeth

Parents in Ngororero Districts in Western Province, Rwanda have been reminded that all children have the right to equal access to education irrespective their disabilities.

The call was made on October 20, 2020 at the official closing of the “Reading Month” which aimed to improve reading culture and writing skills among school children as well as to contribute to adult literacy programmes.

In Ngororero District, the month was organized in close collaboration with Uwezo Youth Empowerment, a non-profit youth organisation driven by building the capacities of children and youth with impairments and other disadvantages in a Rwandan Community, VSO, and MUREKE DUSOME Programme through the Ministry of Education.

Omar Bahati, the Founder of UWEZO Youth Empowerment said that children with disabilities need a lot of care, including special care and protection noting that there where children with disabilities are often excluded from families as if their rights are different from other children’ rights.

“We conducted this campaign with Save the Chridren, and now it is up to the authorities and the parents to ensure that children are given the right to education,” He said.

He explained that the month dedicated to reading was a special month because it did not happen as expected due to the coronavirus epidemic.

This month was very challenging for children with disabilities as contrary to the previous campaigns when children were at school with the teachers who facilitated them to read.

He called on parents not to give up on children with disabilities adding that they should not listen to those people who discourage them that they are wasting their time and wasting money to pay for people with disabilities and that what they are learning will be of no use to them.

Manirarora Esther is one of the parents who spoke to TOP AFRICA NEWS reporter.

She says “What I want is for people to always be taught that people with disabilities are just like everyone else and stop being discriminated because of a certain disability,”

Nyiransengimana Donathile, JADF president in Ngororero District said that the district has a program to take care of children with disabilities adding that there are some parents who feel that if a child with a disability goes to public it is a disgrace to family.

“It’s a difficult journey to change such attitudes among those parents.” She says

“All children, both those with and without disabilities, must be cared for by giving them access to decent education among others” Nyiransengimana adds

During this month of reading and writing, there have been various programs for parents to help children read at home.

In Nyange sector where the closing event took place there are 52 children with disabilities but a big number are those who need special treatment due to the nature of the disabilities.