Jean Damascene Twagiramungu might be disabled and confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life but he is far from being a desperate or sad man.

Rather, he is a proud citizen who likes to talk about his achievements and his contribution to the struggle that helped end the decades of discrimination, dictatorship and put an end to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

When Twagiramungu joined the Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA/Inkotanyi) in 1991, the battle against the then regime was already raging.

By joining others on the battlefield, Twagiramungu knew what he wanted: it was for him a do-or-die struggle and a fight he considered worth sacrificing for in order to open up a new chapter in the history of his ‘dear’ country. He says he was fighting bad leaders who were sinking the country.

He also knew by doing so he could lose his life but still went on to join others who were already engaged in a fierce battle against the then government soldiers.

Unfortunately, Twagiramungu, now a retired army corporal, was shot as the war was about to end, and as a result, spent several years undergoing extensive treatment in hospital.

It was until 2009 that he was discharged from hospital — five years after he was officially demobilised.

Today, the 44-year-old former soldier lives with his wife and their three children in a relatively modern house on the outskirts of Ruhango town in Nyamagana cell, Ruhango district.

He moves in a wheelchair and spends almost all his time at home. But even in such a situation, Twagiramungu remains strong and says he never regrets joining the liberation movement despite the price he paid.

"I am proud of what I did for my country,” he says. "Rwanda has since the liberation grown into a nation that is internationally respected. Our army is also respected and has a good reputation. That is something I am proud of because I made a little contribution to building this stronger and safer country Rwanda is today.”

Improved livelihoods

For Twagiramungu, the gains that came as a result of the liberation struggle keep him with the determination and grit to move on with life.

"It is something that makes me proud every day and inspires me to keep living,” he says.

When he was demobilised from the army, Twagiramungu says he expected to face tough challenges and live a difficult life.

"But we have the luck of having a government which cares for its people. So never did it abandon us,” he says.

"With support from the Rwanda Demobilisation and Reintegration Commission I managed to invest in livestock farming and agriculture. From that I get revenue to sustain my family.”

At his home in Nyamagana cell, Twagiramungu keeps one Friesian cow and other  animals. He is also planning to start a poultry project to increase his family income.

"It is a project I believe will help me to keep improving my family’s welfare,” he says.

"Life is about hard work and determination. Sometimes it seems you are being asked to do what is beyond your capacity but with the will, resolve and support from others, you get to attain them,” he adds. 

"For me, I decided that being physically disabled won’t condemn me to live a destitute life and I am happy that my life has been constantly improving over the past years.”

Building life together

Besides having his personal projects, Twagiramungu has also found solace in working with others with whom he shares the same predicament.

Moustapha Ndatimana, 43, lost his right arm as he fought alongside other liberation fighters. In 2001, exactly after ten years of service, he was demobilised from the army.

"When I lost my arm I first thought that my life had come to an end and that I would no longer be able to work. I lost hope and for some time thoughts of leading a dreadfully poor life kept rolling through my mind,” he recalls

When Twagiramungu and other 10 ex-soldiers including Ndatimana were given houses in Rwoga cell of Ruhango district, he approached them and together they started Twiyubake Cooperative with the aim of working together to uplift their living conditions.

Through their cooperative, the retired soldiers and their family members work together and have embarked on a farming project with the overall aim of building stable families.

Currently the cooperative has invested in growing cassava on a plot of approximately six hectares which they expect to harvest soon.

"In the beginning we had focused on making sure our families are well fed and have enough food to eat. But now we have shifted our attention and we are moving towards becoming commercial farmers,” Ndatimana says as he inspects the cooperative’s cassava plantation.

The families also keep three Friesian cows which they look after together and share all the benefits.

"We are bringing our skills and efforts together to ensure that we live better and together we are setting on the journey towards wealth and improved livelihoods,” the former military man explained.

"Working together is an asset that we are exploiting and surely we are reaping good results from it,” he added noting that their lives have since transformed from poor to becoming much better.

"We want to keep building our lives like other Rwandans. We are working hard to develop ourselves. We want to lead better lives. That is our vision.”

Proud citizens

Rwanda’s Liberation war was launched on October 1, 1990 when RPA fighters attacked the Kagitumba border post between Rwanda and Uganda. The ensuing struggle ended four years later with the fall of the capital Kigali on July 4, 1994.

Two decades down the road, Rwanda is hailed as a model of economic success and development indicators show a nation that has registered and continues to register considerable economic gains in all sectors. Noticeably, Rwandans live much longer than 20 years ago.

For those who took part in the struggle, the country’s many achievements remain a source of pride and honour.

Ndatimana says he looks to the country’s successful transformational journey with a sense of satisfaction and excitement.

"When we liberated the country it was in total mess. But look now at the many achievements we have realised. It is really exciting,” he says. 

"Today Rwandans have lots of opportunities and what is important for me is that we all have equal chances to them without any discrimination or favouritism. There are many home-grown initiatives to bring positive changes in the way people live,” he adds, before noting: "When I look back to where we are coming from and where we are headed for. I feel really proud of my country.”

For Twagiramungu there is also a reason to celebrate.

"Our efforts were not in vain. The sacrifice we made was not fruitless. I am glad the country is developing and beyond all is peaceful,” he says. "That is what we fought for.”