When she gave birth, Speciose Muhorakeye, a mother from Kigali city, imagined her child would live a normal life.

To her dismay, she learned that the baby had multiple disabilities—a term for a person with a combination of disabilities, for instance, someone with both a sensory disability and a motor disability.

The associated impairments affecting Muhorakeye’ child include mental disability, orthopaedic and speech impairment, as well as physical and hearing impairment.

She is among many mothers who were abandoned by their husbands and are in need of support to create viable small businesses so as to afford the cost to cater for their children with disabilities.

Over 500 mothers who have children with disabilities have been registered as they are in need of support to earn a living. All photos: Courtesy.

"The child can’t speak, can’t feed herself. It is very difficult to work and afford all needs for my child. It is a challenging situation because I have to take the child to hospital every month,” she said.

Muhorakeye said that sometimes back she used to leave the child inside the house trying to go out to look for casual work so as to be able to buy food and other basic needs.

"In every place where I go to rent a house, landlords and neighbors often stigmatise me and chase me out of the house. I started looking out for support to enable me generate income and even be able to build my own shelter,” she said.

Emerithe Uwimana, another mother from Kigali City, who has a nine-year old girl with multiple disabilities said that affording basic needs for the children and catering for the one with disabilities is very challenging for such unemployed persons.

Mothers need support to create sustainable sources of income to be able to afford basic needs. 

"The second child has a disability. The baby was born premature and when my husband realized the situation, he abandoned me. I spent many months in the hospital without his support.

I had become hopeless because neighbors say I gave birth to a demon. We thank those who have supported us with food but we also need a sustainable source of income as it is not easy to get money to rent. I need my own shelter because even landlords and neighbors also stigmatize me,” she said.

Anne Marie Nyirabagenzi, another mother from Rwamagana District with a child with disabilities, said that she got pregnant at 16-years-old.

"My child can’t speak, can’t walk or sit although can hear. My husband rejected me in 2016. My family also stigmatized me. At 20 years old I had already become like an old woman due to bad life, hopelessness and stigma. Imagine where the landlord expels you because you have a child with disabilities,” she narrated.

The families also get food relief support. 

She said that besides stigma, low income is the main challenge she is facing to be able to look after the children including the one with disabilities who needs special support.

Nyirabagenzi is among members of Self Advocacy Initiative for Disability (SAID) for support.

The Self-Advocacy Initiatives for people with Disabilities (S.A.I.D.) is a Non Profit - organization that was founded by university graduates Jean Pierre Sibomana who suffers physical disabilities due to injuries sustained in the genocide against the Tutsi in 1994 and Mathusalem Nshimyumuremyi and other people with different types of disabilities, such as parents who have children with mental disabilities.

"At least when you join other mothers who have the same problem, the trauma gradually heals,” she said.

Her child with a disability is now 18-years-old.

"Getting clothes, hygienic materials and food for the child is a big challenge due to low income. I have three children and although I have already got shelter support, sustainable income can help survive,” she said.

Small businesses as solution

Some of the mothers with disabled children abandoned by fathers got support from Self-Advocacy Initiatives for people with Disabilities (S.A.I.D.) to start income generating activities.

Caritas Nyirakamana, a mother from Gatenga sector with a child who has multiple disabilities, started with five rabbits rearing and currently over 60 rabbits.

"I sell one rabbit at Rwf5, 000 and be able to meet my eight year old son’s child’s needs. I currently have over 60 rabbits and have so many others,” she said.

Meanwhile she said that stigma is the biggest challenge testifying that she was even fired from a singing choir due to stigma.

"However, my husband never rejected me,” she said.

Marie Clarisse Mfurayabo, Founder and Executive Director of MFURA Foundation Organization which recently partnered with Self-Advocacy Initiatives for people with Disabilities (S.A.I.D.) to provide food relief to some of the vulnerable and low-income mothers who have children with disabilities said they need support to build sustainable sources of income.

"We will continue to do advocacy for them so that their livelihoods are improved. We also help teen mothers to learn TVET to build sources of income. They need to afford the cost for education, health and nutritious food among other basic needs,” she said.

Mathusalem Nshimyumuremyi, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Self Advocacy Initiative for Disability (SAID) said that currently they have registered over 500 mothers who have children with disabilities who are in need of support.

"The families need different types of support including education, health, jobs and advocacy to ensure the children’s rights and improved welfare,” he said.

He said some low-income families with children born with severe disabilities have also obtained sewing machines while others got money to start small businesses to enable them to earn a living in a time when Covid-19 also affected sources of income.

"When the low-income families get sustainable sources of income they afford different needs for such children with disabilities. We will continue advocacy so that more are reached out for help,” he said.