For six years, Ineza Natasha’s world was limited to the small space around her home. Born in 2019 in Gicumbi District, Natasha’s physical disability went undiagnosed until she was three years old. Before then, her family believed she was simply experiencing developmental delays. 

It was only after a medical assessment at Gahini Hospital that her condition was clearly identified, and a physiotherapist recommended a wheelchair to support her mobility. For her grandmother and primary caregiver, Mukankusi Donathile, this recommendation felt like an impossible dream. With limited means and Natasha’s mother being mentally disabled, the family could not afford the assistive devices, leaving Natasha unable to attend an Early Childhood Development (ECD) centre like other children in her community.

That reality changed in September 2025, when the National Child Development Agency (NCDA), through the Tubakuze Project funded by the European Union, provided assistive devices to children with disabilities across Rwanda. Among the beneficiaries was Natasha, who received a wheelchair that transformed her daily life. For the first time, she could move freely and attend a school-based ECD centre in her home area of Rukomo Sector, Gicumbi District, joining her peers in learning and social interaction.

“Before receiving the wheelchair, my granddaughter used to stay at home, sitting in one place all day,” said Mukankusi Donathile. 

“Since she was given the wheelchair, we are happy that she has been able to attend ECD, and she is doing very well. I am deeply grateful to NCDA who provided this wheelchair, because my child can now go to school like other children.” Added Donathile.

Natasha’s story is one of many. In the same district, Dan Elie, an 11-year-old boy with physical disability, had also been unable to attend school independently. His mother carried him on her back every day, a task that became difficult as Dan Elie grew older. The provision of a wheelchair brought immediate relief and restored dignity to both mother and child.

“It was very difficult to carry an 11-year-old child on my back,” Dan Elie’s mother shared. “The wheelchair helps me take my son to school without having to carry him. It has changed our lives, and I am truly thankful.” Said Mukamana Marie Joseline, mother of Dan Elie who always carried him on her back to school.

Through the Tubakuze Project, NCDA has so far distributed 340 wheelchairs and 204 pairs of crutches to children in need nationwide. Additional assistive devices including hearing aids, eyeglasses, and prostheses will be distributed under the same framework. These interventions are part of a broader commitment to inclusive child development by ensuring that no child is left behind because of disability.