COUNTRY / PROBLEM
Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that more than 5% of the world’s population, i.e. 360 million people, including 32 million children, suffer from hearing loss that results in permanent disability. Most deaf and hard-of-hearing people live in low- or middle-income countries.
Rwanda is afflicted with the problem of discrimination against children with disabilities. It is estimated that, in the entire country of more than 12 million inhabitants, there are only a few schools where deaf and hard-of-hearing children are able to study. All these facilities are run by non-governmental organisations.
ORGANISATION
Empowering Children with Disabilities (EmCD) is a Rwandan non-governmental organisation, whose founder, Louis Ngabonziza, has been working with children with disabilities since 1997, when he established the first school for the deaf in the northern part of the country.
The Nyabihu Demonstration School for the Deaf teaches Rwandan Sign Language. At the school, the children also acquire practical skills in tailoring, crocheting, and wood carving, meaning that they have a better chance to get a job after graduation. In addition, the facility offers special Rwandan Sign Language courses for their families, helping them to communicate and connect with the children and their siblings. At the time of commencing the cooperation with the Kulczyk Foundation, the Nyabihu Demonstration School for the Deaf employed more than a dozen teachers, and had more than 120 pupils under its care.
PROJECTS
The Kulczyk Foundation supported the activities of the Nyabihu Demonstration School for the Deaf by:
• Donating the Solar Ear hearing aids, together with the necessary accessories (solar charger, batteries, dryer) and individually fitted earplugs for all the children who needed them (92 people);
• Conducting pure tone audiometry testing among students;
• Financing a Rwandan Sign Language course for parents from 96 families;
• Training parents of the children in maintenance of hearing aids and their accessories;
• Donating farm animals for 96 families.
