16 year old Manzi lives in a rural community in Rwanda with his parents and five siblings. He has a physical disability that causes paralysis in both legs.
For most of his childhood, Manzi didn’t go to school and didn’t play with other children. He stayed at home and had to crawl to reach the latrine that wasn’t accessible to him.
Manzi says, “Before my life was in danger, I couldn’t join others for playing, I didn’t attend school due to lack of wheelchair while the old one was very old. I felt rejected because of staying home at the age of 14.”
His mother, Charlotte, felt the impact too. The stigma of disability isolated the whole family. Neighbours dismissed Manzi, while Charlotte found herself bound to full-time caregiving, with no way to earn a living.
“As a family, we were in stigma,” Charlotte says. “It was not easy for us to have a young boy without means of transportation. People ignored my child, thinking he was not a person because he was totally paralysed.”
“Staying home caring for 6 children contributed much to the poverty of the family!”
Through Chance for Childhood’s CBIS project, delivered in partnership with UNICEF, Charlotte joined a Parent Support Group. For the first time, she met other parents raising children with disabilities in her community.
“Joining CfC’s Parent Support Groups was a blessing. It strengthened me to know that my child is like others…that healed me. The community mindset is improving step by step as people come to understand that all children are equal.”
The PSG also gave Charlotte a practical route towards improving her family’s circumstances.
“Through the small contribution in PSG I bought 4 chickens aiming to sell eggs to get the medical insurance and hygienic materials for Manzi as well as improving his nutritional balanced diet.”
Meanwhile, CfC advocated for Manzi to receive a new wheelchair, and he enrolled in his local mainstream school. At 14 years old, he started in Primary One.
Two years later, Manzi came second in his class.
“I am very proud to get a new wheelchair from your advocacy. Now I can move to school and I was 2nd place” he says.
Manzi now goes to school alongside his siblings and Charlotte has the freedom to work. In her words, she feels, valuable.
“Life is improving as my young boy goes to school with his siblings,” she says. “I found room to go to my casual work to look for the basics. And I feel valuable.”
Now Manzi enjoys playing with his siblings and singing with his classmates. His best friend Ron pushes his wheelchair to and from school.
When asked what he wants to become, Manzi said: “I will become a medical doctor in charge of helping people with disabilities.”
Manzi and his family are supported through Chance for Childhood’s CBIS project in Rwanda, delivered in partnership with UNICEF. The project provides community-based rehabilitation, physiotherapy, Parent Support Groups and livelihood support to children with disabilities and their families. Since July 2021, the programme has supported 7,390 children, with 97.8% of parents reporting positive changes in confidence and acceptance. 16 Parent Support Groups have since transitioned into cooperatives, with 10 securing government grants to continue supporting children and families in their communities beyond the life of the project.