One factory in Kigali has opted to hire deaf workers and everyone is happy.

Masaka Creamery Ltd, that is popular for its tasty yogurt, has about 28 workers and more than 60 percent of them are deaf.

When The New Times visited the factory yesterday, they were greeted by an employee who was seated behind the reception desk.

His name - Parfait Rwaka. We got to know only because his name is printed on the desk. He is the administrative assistant for the company.

Rwaka grabs a paper to write: "Where are you from?” We write back that we are from The New Times.

Rwaka then directs us to his boss office and introduces us using sign language.

The office belongs to Jon Porter, the Managing Director of Masaka Creamery.

Porter, a US citizen says that he purchased the factory and rebranded it. It was formerly called Masaka Farms.

In 2016, he bought the factory which was then struggling. He invested in major changes that included shifting it to special economic zone, which offers better working condition.  

"When we started we decided that we will intentionally hire from the deaf community in Rwanda. We were exposed to the deaf community in Rwanda because of a sad story I read in the news that broke my heart,” Porter says. "I wanted to do something about it,” he adds.

The story is about a mother who was deaf and marginalized. She was abused in multiple ways for more than 30 years.

"When we saw that, we started helping the mother to cater for her child and later to get a job for herself because it was all she needed. She didn’t know how to read or write and had no communication abilities,” he added.

In the beginning, the company hired four people with hearing disability and later hired the woman for her to find a place to thrive and learn at the same time.

The factory now hires 17 deaf staff.

As we toured the factory, the silence was loud. The workers were busy processing milk and packaging yogurt.

"We had to create a community of people with this disability. Some of our staff know sign languages and we are working with Rwanda National Union of the Deaf to teach the rest how to communicate,” Porter added.

Porter describes his staff as "great people and fantastic workers who care about their work.”

"I really love their personalities,” he says.

"I think the fact that they have been disadvantaged has helped them become people who work hard and if they get an opportunity they take it seriously.,” Porter added.

Jacqueline Umuhoza 22, has worked in the factory for the last six months. she is from Ruyenzi in Kamonyi district of the Southern Province.

"I like this job. The salary is good and the job is good because I get to work with other people like me. It helps me support my family, my parents, two brothers and sisters who live in Ruyenzi. I sometimes send them some money,” Umuhoza says.

Porter helps us to communicate with her by using sign language.

Umuhoza says that she studied up to the third year of high school. She previously worked as a hairdresser; a job she says was not paying well compared to the one she is doing today.

The factory says that it is working with the National Council for People with Disabilities to find more ways of supporting the deaf community in Rwanda.

Additional reporting by Liesse Niwe