Development partners commit to further support HVP Gatagara to improve healthcare, Education for PWDs

By Elias Hakizimana.

HVP Gatagara center was incepted in September 2016 with the aim to improve education and healthcare services to children with disabilities.

It partnered with various international organization and the government of Rwanda to implement its activities in the areas of education, healthcare and employment for PWDs.

It has 1,642 students of whom 800 present different types of disabilities.

Development partners on Monday, 30^th, November 2020 visited the center to see the progress and current challenges where they commended the efforts of the center to advance healthcare and education for children with disabilities.

Among these partners to the center include the One-UN, UNFPA, UNDP, CBM, European Union, NCDP and the Government of Rwanda through Kicukiro district where the center is located.

Speaking during the visit after touring its activities, Dr. Fodé Ndiaye, the One United Nations (One UN) Resident Coordinator for Rwanda said that they will continue to develop, protect and respect the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

“The One UN 2020 agenda is working on this framework through the UN disability inclusive strategy, putting together resources and supporting institutions, making sure that UN donors and the private sector partnership jointly work on the progress of this program.” Ndiaye said.

He thanked the Governments of Africa for their good policies which are in line with inclusive society where education and healthcare services are delivered with equal opportunities.

He also recommended the governments of Africa to put together efforts in catering for PWDs.

“Disability is not inability, governments in Africa should move forward together to cater for PWDs by availing resources, opportunities, education, fighting GBV for persons with disabilities and build more inclusive society and these are the areas we are going to support.” He noted.

European Union Ambassador to Rwanda Nicolas Bellomo said that they will continue partnership with the Government of Rwanda (GoR) and civil society organizations to address daily needs of PWDs especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“During covid-19 PWDs are very exposed and more vulnerable and it is why we are trying to address daily needs with specific interventions implemented in partnership with CSOs and the GoR, European Union has provided 52million Euros as support to the government to respond to the social economic impacts of Covid-19 and it remains structural issue we would like to address even in the long term, so, this will be really feature our agenda when we talk about programming our new development program with development of Rwanda.” Ambassador Nicolas Bellomo noted.

Mr.Maxwell Gomera, UNDP Resident Representative in Rwanda said that they will provide internet broadband to the schools hosting children with disabilities through the partnership with Liquid Telecom, a local company that spread internet facilities.

“In addition to that, we are going to provide $20,000 smart boards to children and teachers with disabilities to enable them go with the latest technologies. Teachers were facing the problem of accessing the latest learning materials.” He said.

Adalbert Rukebanuka, Deputy Executive Administrator of Kicukiro district where HVP Gatagara- Gikondo is built said that the partnership with development partners helps the government to reduce the burden of assisting vulnerable people especially in health and education to promote citizens’ welfare.

“Kicukiro district contributes to paying salaries of teachers of these students in HVP Gatagara-Gikondo.” He said.

Despite the support, there is still a challenge of high cost of prosthetic limbs for people with physical disabilities and these facilities are ordered from abroad and assembled by technicians of HVP Gatagara-Gikondo.

Their costs range between Rwf800,000 to Rwf400,000.

Kizito Misago, Director General of HVP Gatagara-Gikondo said that the main challenge that raises this cost is that they are not available in Rwanda.

“We are in the process of building partnership with the ministry of health and the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB) to discuss how health insurance can cover the costs of prosthetic limbs.

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