RWAMAGANA - An epileptic girl child in Rwamagana town, only identified as Nyana, has learnt to survive alone, since no adult looks after her.

Other street children may live alone, but maintain a certain link with their families, but Nyana doesn’t have the privilege.

Ironically, Nyana spends day time at GAPCO Petrol station, just opposite the district’s main hospital.

The girl nick-named Nyana was abandoned by her parents, when she developed epilepsy at a tender age.

Gilbert Ndahayo, a resident of Kigabiro sector where Nyana lives, says the girl needs help from either the authorities or Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO).

He criticised the stigma subjected to the girl.

"Nyana spends her days a few meters from where local leaders and NGO officials frequent for conferences and workshops. Astonishingly, no one bothers to ask why the girl remains where she lives,” Ndahayo said.

"She is vulnerable and actually exposed to all sorts of abuse”.

Jean Claude Karangwa, another local resident, lamented that the girl continues to unabatedly suffer from social stigma.

 "People don’t want to come close to her...they shudder at her mere looks.
They ignorantly talk about how contagious epilepsy is. This makes the little girl an outcast in her community, a serious intervention to save the child is needed,” Karangwa said.

Nehemie Uwimana, the Mayor, said the district would track the girl’s parents.

"We shall ask her parents to accept her back as we don’t have an immediate alternative,” he said.

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