The competitions were part of the We Can Work project, an initiative led by Light for the World and supported by the Mastercard Foundation. The goal of the project is to highlight the talents and contributions of young people with disabilities in the workplace and beyond.
These contests encouraged participants to share stories with the power to inspire and shift perceptions about disability.
Joseph Rugemandinzi, an agronomist with physical and visual impairments, holds a master's degree in Fertilizer Science and Technology from Morocco. He is also a filmmaker.
Speaking to IGIHE, he said the competition provided a powerful platform to showcase untapped talent and advocate for inclusion.
'It means a lotâ€"especially for someone with a disabilityâ€"to demonstrate that we can contribute to personal and national development. In my case, I want to contribute to the growth of Rwanda's film industry because I studied it,' Rugemandinzi said.
His submitted story featured a man who lost his sight later in life but continued working with the same dedication and skill he had before his visual impairment.
'This man used to weave and sell baskets as a child. Even after becoming visually impaired, he kept doing the same job just as well,' Rugemandinzi explained.
Patrick Mfitumukiza, a student of Entrepreneurial Leadership at the African Leadership University, shared his personal journeyâ€"navigating the emotional and societal challenges that came with having a physical disability.
'I used to believe that jobs were only given to people without disabilities. These thoughts can trap you and stop you from moving forward,' he told IGIHE.
Both Rugemandinzi and Mfitumukiza received awards, professional internships, and were named ambassadors for the We Can Work initiative, which aims to create one million jobs for youth with disabilities across the participating countries within eight years.
IGIHE
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/meet-two-rwandans-with-disabilities-who-won-international-awards
