MFURA Foundation celebrates Happy Easter with families of children with disabilities

By Elias Hakizimana.

On 16^thApril, 2022, MFURA Foundation Organization partnered with Self Advocacy Initiative for Disability (SAID) to help children with disabilities and their parents in Gatenga sector, Kicukiro District to celebrate Happy Easter by providing food relief and sanitary materials to the needy.

The organization currently advocates and supports teen mothers and their children in Rwamagana District, Eastern Province.

Marie Clarisse Mfurayabo, Founder and Executive Director of MFURA Foundation Organization said that they decided to support this category of vulnerable communities after talking to the authorities of SAID and to identify the neediest.

“This is another category MFURA Foundation has approached to support Rwandan community, we talked to SAID authorities who said that most of their members are vulnerable people including parents whose children have different disabilities. These parents cannot easily go away from homes to work for their families as they are always at home catering for children with disabilities.” Mfurayabo said.

“MFURA Foundation partnered with SAID to support these families with food relief to celebrate Happy Easter with joy. Besides, these children need special education. We will continue doing advocacy for them to get inclusive education and healthcare. Some of them need sanitary pads that are expensive and need special diet like sauce, pottage as they cannot use teeth to eat. This is kind of advocacy we need to do together with SAID.” She added.

Beneficiaries said that the support helps them to enjoy the Happy Easter with their children.

Cartas Nyirakamana, 47, is a mother of 8 years old child who has spinal cord injury (SCI) and cannot speak, cannot see, cannot sit and eats difficultly.

She said that a big challenge is social discrimination in the community where neighbours say that she gave birth to a ghost ‘Nyabingi’ and she is a poisoner.

Fortunately, this parent got support from SAID that gave her five rabbits and they were reproduced to 47 rabbits. She can now sell and get Rwf5,000 per a rabbit and buys milk for her child.

“For today, I am happy that I am going to share the Happy Easter with my child without empty stomachs, thanks to MFURA Foundation Organization and SAID who tirelessly strive for our wellbeing.” Nyirakamana said.

Emeritha Uwimana, a mother of three also has given birth to a physically-disabled daughter who is her second is born. She used to be tossed around and chased out by landlords who discriminate them as ghosts.

“I gave birth to a pre-mature 6 month old pregnancy and the baby was born with hydrocephalie impairment. I lived in hospital for six months and I was asked to pay much money above Rwf1.5 million, which I could not afford. My daughter is now 18 years and it is not easy to cater for her.” Uwimana said.

The same painful experience is of Anne Marie Nyirabagenzi and Speciose Nyamuhoracyeye who also have children with disabilities and being currently supported by SAID.

For Nyirabagenzi, she was abandoned by her husband fearing to raise a disabled child together and the daughter is now 18 years old.

Mathusalem Nshimyumuremyi, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Self Advocacy Initiative for Disability (SAID) said that this organization focuses on welfare of a child that includes education and healthcare, but a big challenge is that special education for these children is expensive. This time around, he thanks MFURA Foundation for the support to the vulnerable.  

“We are happy today to get this opportunity from MFURA Foundation, children and their parents will at least have a smile as they eat when celebrating the Happy Easter.” Nshimyumuremyi said.

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