The blind community has appealed to government for more help to improve their welfare.

In a workshop organised by the Rwanda Union of the Blind (Rub) in Kigali this week, Donatile Akanimba, the executive director of Rub, said while the 2012 census shows that there are 57,000 blind people countrywide, there is only one learning institution for every level of education (primary, secondary, TVET, and University) that caters for them.

"Last year alone, there were 27 university graduates from this association, but only five of them have got full time jobs,” said Jacques Mugisha, a member of the association.

Dr Patrick Suubi, the president of the union, pointed out that many roadsides in the country have uncovered water channels, and this increases accident risk for blind people.

Mugisha says some blind people cannot access white canes (walking sticks for blind) as they are relatively expensive, ranging between Rwf 19,000 and 20,000 each.

 Akanimba also pointed out that stigma is still a big challenge blind people are facing.

He, however, said the association has since 2000 trained 575 people in reading, writing, farming, and white cane use.

"We are working hard to ensure that white canes are added on the list of things catered for by health insurance, so more poor people can access them at a lower cost,” Mugisha noted.

"Currently we are lobbying not only government, but other players as well, such as NGO’s,” Dr Suubi said.