My name is Ishimwe Fabrice. I am from Rwanda, deaf and want to share my history so that everyone can know about me, my life from childhood until now, and the struggles I faced to succeed.

I am CEO & Founder of the Ubumwe Education Inclusion for Disabilities in Rwanda (UEIDR) and Bachelor’s Student in Public Administration and Local Governance at the University of Kigali.

Ubumwe Education Inclusion for Disabilities in Rwanda (UEIDR) is a social enterprise I founded in 2024 while pursuing my bachelor’s degree and an online program in Entrepreneurship from Queen’s University in Canada, in partnership with the Enterprise Business Center and Innovation (EBCI) at the University of Kigali. The program aimed to promote youth to become entrepreneurs and innovators. During my studies, I joined non-disabled students in class, and after a few months, we were encouraged to create our own business ideas. That is when I came up with the idea for UEIDR.

In February 2025, UEIDR participated in a cohort competition, where I presented the project in front of guests. I won first place and received an award because my project was recognized as the best.

The idea for UEIDR came from a long-time dream of building my own social enterprise with the purpose of helping vulnerable people with disabilities, especially the Deaf. Many of them face challenges in accessing quality education and knowledge, including technology, literacy, and employment opportunities. These challenges often result from a history of limited parental support, low expectations, lack of communication, and societal neglect. As a result, many Deaf youth grow up isolated, dependent on parents or friends, unable to secure decent jobs, and left struggling to meet their basic needs and achieve sustainable well-being.

UEIDR was founded to solve these problems. My vision is to provide Deaf children with the same opportunities to access quality education as their peers. This includes training teachers in sign language, ensuring interpretation services in schools, and aligning education with the national curriculum so that Deaf students can grow in skills such as language, IT, accounting, engineering, and research. We also aim to provide the necessary materials and tools to keep them motivated and engaged in school, and to prepare them to participate in competitions just like other students without disabilities.

For older individuals who missed out on education due to age gaps, UEIDR offers vocational training opportunities in handcrafts, drawing, tailoring, carpentry, and other trades that can help them find employment and live independently.

My inspiration comes from my own experience. When I first entered school, there were no sign language interpreters because hiring them was too expensive, and none of the teachers knew sign language. This made my education extremely challenging, but I persevered until I succeeded. Language barriers remain a significant challenge for many Deaf students today. Thankfully, I was later supported by Ubumwe Community Center (UCC), which provided me with education and financial assistance until I was able to reach university. UCC was a true center of inclusivity, and from my time there, I learned valuable lessons about the importance of helping Deaf children and creating inclusive communities.

With UEIDR, my focus is to provide this support across Rwanda breaking down barriers, raising awareness, encouraging parental cooperation, and promoting rights, equity, and equality for people with disabilities.

  How can I support the project?

My project, UEIDR (Ubumwe Education Inclusion for Disabilities in Rwanda), is dedicated to supporting children with disabilities especially Deaf children to gain full access to education. We aim to provide adequate learning materials that encourage their love for studying and help them continue their education. We also focus on training teachers in sign language and raising community awareness to promote understanding and inclusivity for people with disabilities.

Your generous donations will greatly help us build accessible, resourceful, and sustainable educational programs and infrastructure for these children.

You can send your support in the following ways:

WorldRemit / Mobile Money: 

+250 787 523 035

Western Union: Recipient Name : 

Ishimwe Fabrice, Rwanda, Kigali City

Account number: 4006100811361

Swift code: EQBLRWRW

Bank adress: KN4AVE, Grandpension plaza, P.O Box 494 Kigali, Rwanda

Every contribution makes a real difference in building a more inclusive future 

for Deaf and disabled children in Rwanda.

Thank you for your support.

— Ishimwe Fabrice

Founder & CEO, UEIDR