WHEN Francois Nsabimana was demobilised from the army in 2003, he kept asking what the future held for him.

Having been shot and seriously wounded during the Liberation Struggle back in the 1990s, the military man knew from his first days as a demobilised soldier that a lot of challenges awaited him.

"Life was really very difficult for me and my family,” Nsabimana, a father of three, says.

Together with his wife, Nsabimana tilled their ‘small’ family piece of land to survive. 

"The production from our farm was really little for us to survive. It was a challenging situation that I had to endure,” Nsabimana says.

But today, he sees a bright future.

Nsabimana is among the 60 disabled, persons among them 13 demobilised soldiers, who graduated, on Tuesday, from Nyanza Vocational Training Centre after completing a six-month skills training in tailoring, welding and knitting.

The programme was supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica), through its Project for Skills Training for ex-combatants and other people with disabilities (ECOPD).

"I look to the future with hope for improved livelihood,” Nsabimana, who completed a tailoring course, said. "I now have the skills to start doing something that I believe will transform my life.”

Like Nsabimana, Lt. (Rtd) Pierre Butera was released from the military in 2002 after spending years at Rwanda Military Hospital, Kanombe, and other health facilities. He was shot in the head during the Liberation War.

Lt. Butera now lives in his home village in Rwesero, Nyanza District, in Southern Province with his wife and six children.

"I was demobilised in 2002, I couldn’t imagine a future in my tragic life,” Lt. Butera says. "I was worried. But now I know I can work and improve my situation. I have the skills to do so.”

He believes joining hands with others will help him change and improve his situation and adapt well in the competitive domain he is about to venture in after the training.

"Working with others in a cooperative will help me share with them knowledge, skills and experience,” he said.

Skills for development

Available figures indicate that under ECOPD project, more than 1,200 people completed skills training in tailoring, welding, carpentry, plumbing, masonry, cooking, mechanics, electricity, electronics, silkscreen, hairdressing, computer repair, agriculture, among others.

This year, 300 others are participating in skills training throughout the country.

The project targets mainly people living with disabilities.

Ryuji Seno, the project expert, said they believe providing skills to disabled people help them to be active in their respective community and work towards improving their lives.

He said the beneficiaries, whom he said earlier lacked opportunity for education, training or work, are expected to steer positive changes within their communities.

"They are going back to their communities to work. They have acquired desirable hands-on skills,” Seno said, promising continued support to them.

Dative Mukeshimana, who graduated in knitting, said: "I will put my skills to good use so that I can improve my condition.”