My name is Deborah IMANISHIMWE, I am 18. my disability is about my light arm. My light arm does not function and I use my left one. I really thank God for the way he protected me and my house. Ni Uwacu Foundation became my second family because it’s where I have brothers and sisters. Through Ni Uwacu Program I got my joy which didn’t find before being Ni Uwacu member.
It was very difficult to me to go to school not because of limited financial means but the way my family treated me. They used to tell me that I am nothing and I can’t study because even if I finish my schools I can do nothing. Ni Uwacu helped my parents to understand that my disability can’t stop me being an important person among the society. Through Ni Uwacu teachings my parents understood that God himself created me as I am for Purpose. God can use me as I am for his glory.
Emmanuel
Emmanuel Dushime
I am 13 years old. I was born from the very poor family where my parents were not able to do anything for me because they couldn’t even get food for the family. I was born with the problem of back bones where I couldn’t move. And it took a longtime to be able to stand up because i started to stand up at seven age.
I was maltreated in the family because even my parents were not proud of having a child like me.
My parents worked as much as they can but they also have an other problem of loving beer; which means that even the few money they got, they used it for drinking beer. Neighbors used to feed me because when my parents went to work they left me circulating/wandering in neighbors’ homes.
This last year (2024) my father died accidently and i thought that the life is going to get ended because even if he was not able to provide but he wouldn’t miss at least one day a week of bringing something to eat. Though he died in that way, God keeps being with us and nothing bad happened as the consequence of my father’s death.
Through Ni Uwacu Foundation and their teachings, now I am studying, my mother sees me as a good child like normal ones. Now I have a hope that God will give me the required things to let the world know that God did not create me accidently.
Christoph
Christoph NIYOGISUBIZO
My name is Christoph, I was born in 2007 from this Eastern province. I was born from a poor family where where life is very difficult; my parents didn’t get the ability to let me get medical treatment because i was born with back bone (Spine) problem. I grew up with the problem, my parents had nothing to do for me and caused me to be rate to go to school because i needed attentive care where there was none to help me. Ni Uwacu Foundation found me in sorrow and helped me to find ways to go to school. Ni Uwacu helped my parents to understand that I am not the one who chose to be like this, they helped my parents to know that once they support me I can be a blessing to them.
My parents used to quarrel because of me. My mother supported me seeing me as her child and she was proud of me even though she couldn’t find way of going to make money for helping the family; My father hated me because he saw me as a burden. My father used to quarrel with my mother whenever he saw my mother taking care of me.
Through Ni Uwacu support; My parents understood that I am a child as my siblings who can help my family and be a useful person if i get the same opportunities as normal people.
Beniah
Faida Beniah CYUBAHIRO
I was born in 2016, in a poor family. I thank God that He enabled my parents to love me and helping me in all things.
I am studying in level three of Primary school. Though i don’t have a left hand, i Thank God that he gave the right one because i can use it in my activities.
I thank my parents for the way they kept trying their best to support me in their limited financial means. That’s why i am studying with the aim of having good marks in order to make my parents happy.
my friends and classmates used to discourage me telling me that I am not like them, sometimes they abuse me in different ways; but i can’t be discouraged because I know that there people who love me.
After finishing my studies, I wish to become a doctor so that I may be able to help all those people who need medical help; and I know that God will enable me to reach my goals.
Olivier
Olivier IRUMVA DUSENGE
I was born in 2022 in a poor family where the life is very tough.
I was born with the spine problem. I couldn’t stand up or make movements. My parents couldn’t live together because of me. My mother loves me and kept trying her best to support me but my dad does not.
My father married an other woman saying that he can’t accept to live in the same house with me who can’t move. He used to abuse me by telling me bad words that I will reach no where, that I am a burden to him, that I am my mothers child not his, that I am an animal, etc
Me and my mother kept surviving in a difficult way but God didn’t leave us alone. I grew up and i can move by crutches.
With Ni Uwacu Foundation support, I started to study even though was late because disability; and I hope that God will keep being on my side so that i May be able to show my Dad that I am not the such kind of animal as he called me. I also want to prove that God can use disabled people to be useful persons in society.
Naphtal
Naphtal UKWISHAKA
I am 17 years old, and I was born deaf and unable to speak. I come from a poor family in Eastern Rwanda. Life has never been easy for us. My parents work hard, but we often struggle just to have enough food. Growing up, I felt like I lived in a world that didn’t hear me—and I couldn’t speak to it either.
When I was younger, I went to a Public school near our home. I wanted to learn, just like the other children. But the school didn’t know how to help someone like me. There were no teachers who understood sign language and i didn’t even it too because i didn’t study it before. No materials that could help me follow lessons. I sat in class every day, watching mouths move and hands write, but I understood nothing. I felt lost. Invisible.
I remember crying silently, wishing I could ask questions, wishing someone could hear me—even just once. I wanted to make friends, to laugh, to learn. But I was alone. I started to believe that maybe school wasn’t meant for someone like me.
Then, something changed.
One day, people from Ni Uwacu Foundation came to visit my family. They saw me—not just my disability, but my heart. They listened to my story, even though I couldn’t speak it. They believed in me.
NUF helped me join a special school where teachers know sign language. They gave me learning tools that I can understand. Now, I can follow lessons. I can ask questions. I can express myself. I even have friends who understand me. For the first time, I feel like I belong.
Today, I am learning math, reading, and even drawing. I dream of becoming a teacher one day—so I can help other children like me feel seen and heard.
NUF didn’t just give me education. They gave me hope. They gave me a future.
Thank you for believing in me.
Boniface
Boniface NIYIBIZI
I was born with a disability that makes it hard for my legs to carry the weight of my body. I don’t walk like other people. I move by crawling, slowly and carefully. I can’t walk long distances, and I can’t run. I’ve fallen many times. But the worst pain wasn’t falling—it was how people treated me.
When I was younger, I tried to go to school. I wanted to learn, to grow, to be like the other children. But every day was full of fear. The other kids laughed at me. They called me bad names to abuse me in order to show me that i am not a real person, a curse. Some even hit me. They didn’t want to sit near me. They didn’t want to touch me. I started to believe I didn’t belong.
Even at home, things were hard. My parents didn’t know how to accept me. They didn’t say it out loud, but I could feel it—they were ashamed. I felt like a burden. Like I wasn’t really their child.
So I stopped going to school. I stayed home. I stopped dreaming.
Then, one day, people from Ni Uwacu Foundation came to our village. They saw me—not just my disability, but my heart. They spoke to me with kindness. They didn’t look away. They didn’t pity me. They respected me.
NUF also spoke to my parents. They helped them understand that I am not a mistake. That I am a child, just like any other. That I deserve love, dignity, and opportunity.
Today, I’m not back in school yet. But something has changed. My parents now see me as their son. They listen to me. They include me. They help me move around with care and respect. I feel safe at home. I feel human again.
NUF gave me more than support. They gave me back my identity.
I still dream of learning. I still dream of becoming someone who helps others like me. And now, I believe I can.
Because I am still me. And I matter.
Chris Brian
My name is Brian, and I’m 13 years old. I was born without fingers on either hand. I live in a small village in Rwamagana District, Rwanda, with my parents who have always done their best — even when life was hard.
I just finished Primary 6, and I’m preparing to start secondary school. I’m excited, nervous, and full of hope. I love science, especially learning about the human body. My teachers say I’m one of the brightest students in my class. I may not write like others, but I’ve learned to use the base of my arms and a special pen. It took time, but now I write clearly and confidently.
Growing up with a disability wasn’t easy. People stared. Some even laughed. My parents felt helpless, and I often wondered if I would ever fit in. But everything changed when we met Ni Uwacu Foundation (NUF).
NUF didn’t just help me go to school — they helped us believe again. They gave me school supplies, emotional support, and most importantly, dignity. They taught my parents that disability is not a punishment, and they taught me that I am capable, intelligent, and full of purpose.
Now, I dream of becoming a doctor — someone who helps children like me live healthy, happy lives. I want to study medicine, and one day wear a white coat that says:
“I made it. And I’m here to help you make it too.”
Sometimes I wonder why God made me this way. But when I look at how far I’ve come — how I learn, how I grow, how I inspire — I know that my life is a message. I’m not a miracle. I’m a boy with a dream, and I believe that one day, I’ll help others heal — not just in body, but in spirit.
And when that day comes, I’ll say:
“NUF believed in me first.
Mireille
UMWIZA Annie Mireille
My name is Annie. I’m 13 years old, and I was born into a world that doesn’t always hear me—or see me.
I cannot speak. I cannot hear. But I feel everything.
I was born in a small village to loving parents who had very little. Our home was filled with care, but outside those walls, the world felt distant. People didn’t know how to talk to me. They didn’t know how to include me. I watched other children laugh, play, and learn—while I sat quietly, wondering if anyone would ever understand me.
Sometimes, I felt like I was disappearing.
But then, something changed. I was accepted into a school that sees me—not just my silence, but my spirit. They teach me through signs, through pictures, through patience. For the first time, I feel like I belong
I dream of becoming a great businesswoman. I want to open a shop, sell beautiful things, and help my family rise from poverty. I want to prove that even without words, I can build a future that speaks volumes.
Ni Uwacu Foundation believes in me. They didn’t ask me to speak—they listened with their hearts. They gave me tools, support, and dignity.
Now, when I walk into a room, I don’t feel invisible. I feel powerful.
I speak with my eyes. I speak with my hands. I speak with hope.
And I know—one day—you’ll hear my story, not because it’s loud, but because it’s true.
Dan
Dan BIRORI
My name is Dan. I was born in 2015, in a small village where life is hard and food is never guaranteed. I live with both my parents, and even though we don’t have much, they love me deeply.
I was born with a hearing and speech disability. I don’t speak, and I don’t hear—but I see, I feel, and I believe.
I go to a public school. I’m in Primary Three. My teachers try their best, but the school doesn’t have the tools to help me learn the way I need to. I often sit quietly, watching others answer questions I cannot hear, reading words I cannot pronounce. Learning is hard. Sometimes, it feels impossible.
But I believe in God. I believe He can make me strong. I believe He can help me become someone important—someone who can change things, not just for myself, but for others like me.
I dream of becoming a great man one day. I don’t know what kind of man yet—but I know I want to be someone who matters.
And I have simple joys too. When I get to eat meat and fries, I feel like the happiest boy in the world. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, I smile with my whole heart.
I may not speak with words, but I speak with hope. I may not hear the world, but I feel its weight—and I carry it with faith.
Sandrine UWABATESI
My name is Sandrine. I was born in 2010, without legs. Not even one. My body came into this world incomplete—but my soul came full of fire
I don’t remember ever walking. I don’t know what it feels like to run, to jump, or to dance. But I know what it feels like to be left behind. I know what it feels like to be unwanted.
My parents couldn’t accept me. They said I was a curse. They turned away from me when I needed them most. I was just a child—fragile, voiceless, and broken in their eyes.
So my grandmother took me in. She’s the only person who saw me as a blessing. She cannot walk either. Her legs stopped working years ago, but her heart never did. We live together in a small, crumbling house. No electricity. No running water. No food unless someone helps us. But we have each other. And we have faith.
I use a small, rusted wheelchair to move around. It’s not easy. The roads are rough, the hills are steep, and sometimes I fall. But I get back up. Not with legs—but with a will chair.
I go to school. I’m in Senior One. I love learning. I love sitting in class and imagining a future where I’m not just surviving—but helping others. I want to be a nurse. I want to care for people who feel forgotten, like me and my grandmother.
School is hard. There are stairs I cannot climb. Toilets I cannot reach. Teachers who don’t know how to teach someone like me. But I keep showing up. Every day. Because I believe that education is my way out—not just for me, but for others who come after me.
Sometimes I cry. Not because I’m weak—but because I’m tired. Tired of being looked at with pity. Tired of being treated like I don’t belong. But then I remember who I am. I am Sandrine. I am strong. I am worthy. I am here.
I may not have legs, but I have dreams. I may not have parents, but I have love. I may not have much, but I have a purpose—and that purpose keeps me alive.
Obed
Obed IRADUKUNDA
Owen
Owen NTWARI KAMANZI
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Clemence
Clemence UWUMUKIZA
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Liliane
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