Jeannette Niyonsaba cannot hear or speak. But this has not stopped her from achieving her dream.

The resident of Ngoma Sector in Huye District makes a living from knitting clothes under ‘Nyereka Ibiganza Byawe’ (Show Me Your Hands), cooperative in Huye.

The cooperative is made up of people with speech and hearing disability. It was founded in 2012, with 24 members.

Currently, the cooperative membership stands at 20. The coop also makes school sweaters on order.

The cooperative president, Jeannette Uwihoreye, told The New Times through a sign language interpreter Joselyne Habineza, that the cooperative started with one sewing machine worth Rwf2.5 million, which it got through a loan.

But now the cooperative owns six machines worth Rwf6 million bought using savings.

The members said they are now living a better life thanks to the cooperative.

Cecilia Nyirarukundo, a member of the cooperative said, "We were stigmatised because of our speech impairment, but now we are happy that we are being treated with respect. This job has improved our livelihoods.”

Each member gets about Rwf20,000 per month, on average from the coop proceeds.

Challenges facing the cooperative

Speech impairment among cooperative members was cited as a big challenge.

"If a customer comes and I’m not at the workplace, communication is difficult if they do not understand sign language,” said Joselyne Habineza, interpreter and Secretary.

"Customer’s needs excellent services. If they come to make an order and do not get a suitable response, they look for the service elsewhere thinking that they were not well attended to,” Habineza said.

Meanwhile the cooperative appealed for more support to find market for their products.

The cooperative leaders said lack of a bigger market affects their sales.

They also said the work space they were offered by Huye District is too small to accommodate all the cooperative members.

Huye Executive Secretary, Védaste Mushimiyimana, who is also the acting district mayor, said there is a social protection programme to support people with disabilities, through SACCOs (Savings and Credits Cooperatives).

He asked the cooperative to present their concerns to the in charge of social affairs at sector or district level.

"The district is willing to help them. It is encouraging to help a person who can make use of the offered support. If the cooperative has reached that level, it is encouraging,” he said.

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