BUJUMBURA May 27th (ABP) – Members of the association of civilians disabled by war “Tugarukirwe” (APCHG) based in Kamenge zone of the Ntahangwa urban commune are delighted with their advancement in the development sector.
Miss Espérance Nzeyimana, the leader of the APCHG, declared that this association was founded in 2004 and approved in 2007. It has 4 branches in the city of Bujumbura namely Kamenge, Nyakabiga, Bwiza-Jabe and Kanyosha.
In those branches, various development activities are carried out, in particular welding, repairing telephone devices, shoe repair, sewing, petty trade and the raising of goats and chickens. She further indicated that each member has the right to get a loan commonly called “Nawe Nuze” from that association in order to be able to self-develop.
The challenges they face in the association are many for it to move forward, Miss. Nzeyimana said. She cited, among other things, the lack of useful devices such as prostheses, adding that this is all due to the insufficiency of centers for the disabled in Bujumbura city compared to the interior of the country.
The difference is that in the centers for the disabled of Bujumbura, those devices are too expensive.
“Tibial prostheses are bought at more than 500,000 BIF while other types of prostheses, for example those placed above the knee, are bought at more than a million while in those centers for the rural disabled, they are bought at low price. Buying them becomes a burden. For example mine is old and as I no longer have the means, it is becoming difficult to replace it,” Miss. Nzeyimana deplored.
The check by ABP contacted some members of that association, namely Arly Bizimana and Epitace Ndayizeye. They declared that the latter had helped them carry out their development projects and be able to meet the needs of their children.
Regarding cases of job application, Miss Nzeyimana indicated that sometimes people with disabilities are eliminated due to their disability situation which is mentioned on their certificates of physical fitness, but what should be known is that “having a disability is not synonymous to incapacity,” she specified.
She also took that opportunity to make a strong appeal for competent services to deal with that case, as the association includes many high school and university graduates.
As for people with other types of disabilities, she urged them to join associations or cooperatives and cut short with the behavior of considering themselves incapable but rather to see how to self-develop, Miss Nzeyimana insisted.
Note that the APCHG has missions such as the demonstration of skills in all areas of sustainable and efficient development, meeting the needs of people with disabilities.