Lift each other up

Leonille, from Rwanda, used to feel lonely and helpless. As a person with disabilities, she struggled to find a job and saw no way to contribute to her family's finances. She felt rejected by her wider community and without purpose in her everyday life.

However, once she started meeting with other people with disabilities in her neighbourhood, Leonille realised that, together, they could accomplish more than they ever thought possible.

Self-help group

Leonille was supported by Tearfund's partner, AEE, to set up a self-help group in her community. These groups are an effective way to create an environment where people can work towards common goals, support one another, and save money to invest in businesses or use when times are difficult.

Leonille began connecting with other people with disabilities in her community, encouraging them to join the group.

‘Trying to convince people was not easy. Most of the group members believed that they were no use for anything,' she says. ‘Once we came together, we were able to discover our abilities. Disabilities do not necessarily mean limitations. We complement each other depending on abilities and disabilities.'

New purpose

Nineteen people joined Leonille’s group, and they started meeting every week to encourage each other. They committed to saving money and pooled their resources and abilities to start making and selling handmade products. 

‘We hold weekly meetings, save money, organise Bible study and prayer sessions… and this keeps us busy so we do not have so much time to think about our disabilities,’ says Macienne, one of the group members. 

Each group member now owns a goat – which provides them with milk – and many have borrowed money from the group to start small businesses.

‘People with disabilities are normally left out and society does not consider us,’ says Leonille. ‘I encouraged others to come together to value our talents, escape from loneliness and improve our living conditions. I used to tell them that disability does not mean inactivity.’

The name that the group chose for themselves can be translated as ‘Let us lift each other up as disabled people’. It is a name they live up to: they have helped each other to overcome their challenges and they have found new hope for the future.