Matching the needs of young people with learning differences with environment in Rwanda

Young people with learning differences in Rwanda are at the margins of society with limited access to education, economic empowerment and livelihood opportunities. The design of programmes such as education trainings, youth economic empowerment and livelihood do not adequately take into consideration the accessibility needs of young people with learning differences in Rwanda. One of the young people who is a 20 year old deaf young woman said that, “Teachers only know basic sign language but cannot explain the concepts in subjects we study in sign language throughout for us to understand”. Another project participant who is a 27 year old female primary six dropout in Musanze district in North of Rwanda said that, “l dropped out in primary school when I was sitting in my PLE in 2007. I did not have a problem with school fees but I was always feeling sick and headache whenever I went back to school because our neighbour bewitched me. I think she bewitched me because i was performing better in class than her children. I passed my exams but the children of our neighbours were not passing exams. I lived with my uncle then but i left home to go and stay with another family”.

One of the Project participants who is a 20 year old deaf woman living in Kigali city said that, “I want to be helped to acquire Tailoring machines and capital to open up a shop where I can sell my products. Another Project participant who is a 28 year old male participant living in Kabuga said that, “I am in need of support for capital to start buying Poultry, goats and food commodities from villages and sell them in Kigali city and Urban centres”. Another project participant who is a 28 year old participant living in Musanze district,“I want to acquire more skills on how to manage businesses. I want also to get assistance to build a house for my piglets because they are squeezed here”.

The Social Justice Repair tool kit project interventions in Rwanda focused on working with young people with learning differences to build their capacity to rise their voices for Inclusion in different aspects of life.The project provided an economic empowerment training on how to start and manage a business. Project allocated US$2000 evolving loan to young people with learning differences through UWEZO youth empowerment to start up Saving and loans groups. IDRC also worked with UWEZO youth empowerment on creating and advocating for an enabling environment to facilitate the inclusion of young people with learning differences in different development activities of their communities and country at large. The project donated a Camera and voice recorder to the youth organisation to capture stories and voices of young people with learning differences to advocate for an inclusive environment for all.