As Rwanda prepares to celebrate International Literacy Day, on September 8, the country has extended its focus on literacy throughout September with a National Literacy Month, which was launched on September 21, 2020.

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This effort, spearheaded by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Culture through ‘Soma Rwanda’, encourages parents to spend 15 minutes daily reading with or for their children.

Despite the progress, experts highlight ongoing challenges, particularly for individuals with visual and hearing impairments.

Globally, an estimated 19 million children are blind, or have low vision, with many lacking access to quality education and assistive technology, according to the World Health Organization.

In Rwanda, while strides are being made, experts stress that students and people with disabilities still face barriers.

Will Clurman, the CEO and co-founder of eKitabu, a platform for accessible digital content for inclusive and equitable quality education, noted the need to support these students in both reading and writing to ensure inclusive literacy.

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He added that traditionally, literacy programmes have concentrated on reading, but there is a growing push in Rwanda to balance this with a focus on writing, particularly for children with disabilities.

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"This year’s Kigali Public Library (KPL) writing competition, in collaboration with eKitabu, saw a record-breaking 2,000 entries nationwide, with over 150 submissions from children with disabilities. This achievement highlights the progress towards making writing more accessible,” Clurman said.

He stressed that while reading has often been the primary focus, writing is equally vital for children with special needs—providing the right tools can ensure that all students have a voice in their literacy journey.

Clurman added that eKitabu has been instrumental in this effort by developing software that supports accessible formats, including Braille and video content in sign language. This innovation helps remove barriers for students with disabilities, making literacy programmes more inclusive.

Additionally, he pointed out that video content in Rwandan Sign Language has become a crucial resource for deaf students, allowing them to engage with stories in their native language.

"Deaf storytellers have been key in creating these resources, offering an engaging way for children to experience narratives,” he noted.

Despite these advancements, significant challenges remain. Callixte Ikuzwe, a visually impaired Assistive Technology Specialist and Program Manager at Seeing Hands Rwanda, highlights that many publishers lack awareness of critical accessibility agreements, which impairs their ability to produce inclusive content.

"Additionally, the limited number of printing centers for Braille and sign language materials further complicates efforts to provide necessary resources,” he said.

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Efforts are being made to encourage publishers to invest in their own Braille printers and sign language resources. However, the existing infrastructure is still inadequate, he noted.

Ikuzwe stressed that for improvements in accuracy and innovation in accessible materials, publishers must become proficient in Braille, which is essential for enhancing the quality of resources and fostering new accessibility solutions.

Aimee Yedidya Senzeyi, the Chief of Party at USAID Ibitabo Kuri Twese, said that literacy is a fundamental human right and essential for education, employment, and social inclusion.

She noted that people with hearing and visual impairments must be included in literacy development through accessible reading materials.

"For the visually impaired, alternative formats such as Braille, large print, and audiobooks are crucial. Digital platforms should also feature customisable settings like large text, high contrast, and voice-to-text capabilities to accommodate various visual needs,” Senzeyi explained.

For those with hearing impairments, captioned videos, sign language, and visual aids are essential for making literacy more inclusive, she added.

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Senzeyi noted that authors and publishers play a critical role in this effort—they need proper training to adapt their books and materials to be accessible to people with different disabilities.

"Collaboration with the government and literacy promoters is vital to support producers in creating content that meets the needs of people with disabilities and ensures its availability through various channels,” she added.