September 2025 — In Rwanda, many children with disabilities still face stigma, isolation, and barriers to basic services. More than half of families report feeling ashamed when raising a child with a disability, and nearly 80% of people believe that such children should live in special institutions rather than grow up in their communities. Misconceptions are also widespread—43% of people do not consider blindness or deafness as disabilities.

To change these attitudes and practices, UNICEF Rwanda, together with partners including UPHLS, Chance for Childhood, and the National Paralympic Committee Rwanda, is implementing Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) interventions that are transforming how families and communities view disability, creating opportunities for children to thrive.

Engaging Communities, Shifting Attitudes

Community dialogues and awareness campaigns are carefully designed to address stigma, misconceptions, and exclusion. Facilitated by trained community mobilizers and local leaders, these sessions typically bring together parents, teachers, health workers, religious leaders, and children themselves.

Each dialogue follows a participatory structure:

• Experience-sharing – Families of children with disabilities share their lived realities, challenges, and successes, helping others understand disability beyond stereotypes.

• Knowledge-building – Facilitators provide accurate information on different types of disabilities, highlight children’s rights, and dispel common myths (such as the belief that blindness or deafness is not a disability).

• Collective problem-solving – Communities identify local barriers (from inaccessible toilets to negative attitudes in schools) and co-develop action plans for more inclusive practices.

• Commitment and advocacy – Local leaders, faith leaders, and role models make public commitments to promote inclusion, reinforcing accountability and shifting social norms.

To reach wider audiences, campaigns complement dialogues through radio programs, community theatre, and inclusive sports events—platforms that normalize disability and celebrate the abilities of children.

Through these efforts, 76,000 people have actively engaged in inclusion dialogues, resulting in the identification of 6,689 children with disabilities and their referral to healthcare, rehabilitation, and education services. 

Supporting Parents, Empowering Families

Parent Support Groups (PSGs) are at the heart of the SBC approach. Over 13,000 caregivers have been trained to provide inclusive care, practice rehabilitation exercises at home, and find strength through peer networks.

Christella, a young girl with paraplegia, is one of the children who has benefited. With her parents’ daily commitment to the rehabilitation practices they learned through PSGs, she has moved from using a wheelchair to walking with crutches—and today she attends school with her peers.

These groups also give parents tools for self-advocacy and financial stability through village savings and loan associations (VSLAs), reducing the stress and isolation many families once faced. 

Inclusion Through Sports

Sports have become a surprising pathway to inclusion. With the support of the National Paralympic Committee Rwanda, Boccia—a precision ball sport designed for people with disabilities—was introduced in Huye and Bugesera. It has given children opportunities to build confidence, make friends, and showcase their abilities in front of their communities.

Cadette, an 18-year-old with cerebral palsy, proudly says:
“I didn’t know that I had a talent. Did you see how I play? I am happy and I always want to win.”

Through sports, stigma is being replaced with pride and celebration.

Removing Physical Barriers

SBC interventions also address the practical barriers that prevent children with disabilities from fully taking part in community life. More than 1,200 children have received rehabilitation services, while 220 assistive devices have been distributed to support greater independence. At the same time, schools and community spaces are becoming more welcoming through the installation of inclusive toilets and commode chairs, giving children the dignity and safety they deserve.

These changes have made a tangible difference for children like Fatuma, a 15-year-old with a hearing impairment. After receiving digital hearing aids through UNICEF-supported programmes, her parents were able to transfer her from a specialized school to a mainstream one. With her improved hearing and growing confidence, Fatuma now studies alongside her peers and her academic performance has soared.

A Movement for Inclusion

The combined impact of these interventions—community engagement, parental support, inclusive sports, media advocacy, and infrastructure improvements—is clear: stigma is being reduced, families are empowered, and children with disabilities are proving their potential every day.

As one parent put it:
“Disability is not inability. With the right support, our children can learn, play, and dream just like any other child.”