Emmanuel and Kizza live in the rural hills of Rwanda’s Huye District with their young daughter, Ashimwe. Ashimwe has genu valgum (commonly known as “knocked knees”) and an intellectual disability, and for a long time, the family struggled to access the medical support she needed. The nearest hospital was a long journey from their village, and the cost of travel was simply out of reach.
Everything began to change when Emmanuel and Kizza joined The Big Pig Project, a Chance for Childhood initiative that helps families raising children with disabilities build sustainable livelihoods through pig farming and reduces isolation through Parent Support Groups. The couple completed two days of hands-on training in pig rearing, learning how to build a safe pig sty, how to care for their livestock, and how to manage basic business finances. Throughout the process, they’ve been supported by Chance for Childhood’s veterinarian, Jean-Paul, who helped the family build the confidence to manage their livestock independently.
Everything began to change when Emmanuel and Kizza joined The Big Pig Project, a Chance for Childhood initiative that helps families raising children with disabilities build sustainable livelihoods through pig farming and reduces isolation through Parent Support Groups.
After the training, the family received a pregnant sow, and she gave birth to eight healthy piglets. Emmanuel and Kizza kept three to grow their own small business, and five were passed on to other families raising children with disabilities, multiplying the impact across the community. With the income from pig farming, they have been able to purchase medical insurance, pay for transport to hospital appointments, and provide Ashimwe with nutritious food and school supplies.
Through the Parent Support Group that Chance for Childhood set up, they also found a safe space to share experiences, learn from others, and feel understood, and that peer network is helping families challenge stigma, build confidence, and advocate for their children. Alongside community support, Ashimwe has been receiving physiotherapy through the programme, and the improvement in her mobility and independence has been remarkable. On a recent visit from our team, she was out at school, something her parents once believed would never be possible.
We are happy that the project has helped us to accept our child. We know now that it is ok to have a child with a disability and we know how to care for her. The pig will help us to buy medical insurance, food and school supplies and we know now we have a brighter future.” Emmanuel
Across Rwanda, families raising children with disabilities are disproportionately pushed into poverty, caught between the cost of healthcare, transport to hospitals, and the time that full-time caregiving demands. Emmanuel and Kizza’s family was one of them. Through the Big Pig Project, 499 families have already been trained in pig rearing, children from supported families attending school have jumped from 27 to 326, and inclusion in family and community life has risen from 38% to 58%.
More families can get this chance
This December, Chance for Childhood is taking part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge 2026. Funds raised through this appeal will go towards supporting families like Emmanuel and Kizza, who have used pig farming to pay for medical insurance, support their daughter in school, and build a livelihood of their own.
From 1 to 8 December 2026, every donation made to Chance for Childhood through the Big Give Christmas Challenge will be doubled, meaning your support goes twice as far for families raising children with disabilities. One gift could help put a pig in another family’s hands, get another child into school, or help another parent believe that a different future is possible.
Save the date. 1–8 December. We’ll share everything you need to know in the weeks ahead. For now, mark your calendar and get ready to make twice the difference.