Project to help students with disabilities launched

The first phase of a six -month project dubbed ‘Fasha Gatagara’, was yesterday launched at Mulindi Japan One Love Project in Kigali. The project aims at sourcing funds to help students with disabilities at HVP Gatagara Secondary School located at Ngoma, Huye district.

Thursday, January 20, 2011
Some members of the Fasha Gatagara Project from left to right; Fr. Kizito Misago, Jean Damascene Bukuru, Emmanuel Gatera, and Edward Mwerekande (Photo Paschal Buhura)

The first phase of a six -month project dubbed ‘Fasha Gatagara’, was yesterday launched at Mulindi Japan One Love Project in Kigali.

The project aims at sourcing funds to help students with disabilities at HVP Gatagara Secondary School located at Ngoma, Huye district.

Speaking at a press conference, yesterday, the school director, Fr. Kizito Misago, said the there are 752 students who have various levels of disabilities and most of them are studying sciences.

Among the challenges the school faces, Kizito said, is the shortage of special needs teachers, healthcare and artificial organs.

It was revealed that the project came to supplement existing efforts to support the school to which the government contributes about 20 percent of its budget, while 80 percent comes from foreign donors who at times delay to disburse the funds.

Emmanuel Gatera the proprietor of Mulindi Japan One Love Project and a partner in the Gatagara project, urged the Rwandans to support the school.

"We want to make it a Rwandan problem; we cannot continue relying on foreigners,” Gatera said.

He emphasized that though the student may have disabilities, they are capable of doing what other students do.

Ends