The National Paralympics Committee-Rwanda (NPC), the umbrella body for sports of people with physical disabilities, celebrated its 15th anniversary, on Tuesday.

Anniversary celebrations were held at Five to Five Hotel in Remera and were attended by NPC officials, members of different local sports federations, National Olympic and Sports Committee (RNOSC) officials, Japanese embassy officials, as well as NPC partners and corporate sponsors. 

In his speech, the NPC-Rwanda president Celestin Nzeyimana, explained that the organisation has come of age since its inception in 2001, noting that, having started with three clubs, today they have 28 clubs competing in different disciplines across the country. 

Nzenyimana told the guests that NPC-Rwanda started out with only people with physical disabilities but later incorporated the visual and intellectual impaired. 

"Today we are celebrating a big achievement, as a sports organisation that has come a long way. I take this opportunity to thank our partners, the staff and everyone who helped us reach this level,” he said.

He said: "We want to continue playing a leading role in promoting and developing sports for people with physical and intellectual disabilities”. 

"For the first time in Africa, we sent a women’s sitting volleyball team to the Rio Paralympic Games. That does not only impact women positively buts it’s also good for the country’s image. It shows that when women are involved in sports, it creates a social change not just in life but in society.” 

Athletes Jean de Dieu Nkundabera (bronze) won the countries first medal at the 2004 Athens Paralympic Games, while Hermas Muvunyi has won several medals at major Paralympic championships.

Former NPC president Dominique Bizimana said the organisation will continue to empower the disabled people through sports, adding: "Our main object is to reach out to people with disabilities and welcoming them onto the field of sport.”

"We are really impressed by the work that has been done by NPC in the last 15 years, so far we should be proud in the Rwandan context; that we were the first African country to qualify for the Paralympic Games women sitting volleyball,” Bizimana noted.

Historic achievements

He further explained that, "We have to give it the right value because it does not come by accident, you don’t just go to the Olympics, but you have to work hard for it.” 

NPC-Rwanda was formed in November 2001 and uses sports to help those that feel isolated become more included in society; and collaborates with others to help people with a disability know their rights, give them a strong voice and sensitises society about people with disabilities. 

The organization has realised a number of other achievements over the years. Just this year, Rwandan women sitting volleyball team achieved their biggest milestone thus far by winning the Africa Para volley Championships held in Kigali, a feat that saw them qualify for the 2016 Rio Paralympics Games.

NPC-Rwanda is ranked the best Paralympics body in the Sub-Saharan region. Rwanda men’s sitting volleyball team made its debut at the Games during the 2012 Summer Paralympics Games in London. 

In 2006, NPC-Rwanda hosted the World Sitting Volleyball Championships. During the 2010 Sitting Volleyball World competition, the men’s and women’s teams won their respective titles in Kampala, but in 2013, they lost to Germany in the final.

In the same year, Herman Muvunyi won gold in the men’s 800m T46 race at the IPC-Athletics World Championships in Lyon, France. 

In 2011, Rwanda became the first African country from the Sub-Saharan region to qualify for the 2012 London Paralympics, four years after the sport was introduced in the country. 

In the same year, NPC-Rwanda claimed the Sport Accord ‘Spirit in Sport’ award through its development project ‘Engineering the future and promoting Paralympic Sport in Africa’. The men’s sitting volleyball team was among the 16 teams that qualified for the All-African Games.

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