International Day of Persons Living with Disabilities: 2025 Edition

This day is celebrated worldwide on December 3 each year, depending on the capacities of each country. In Burundi, it was celebrated on December 23 at the Akamuri Center in Jabe, and the ceremonies were honored by the presence of the Minister of Public Service, Gabriel Nizigama, who is responsible for issues related to persons with disabilities. Before attending the ceremonies, Minister Nizigama first visited the Uwiragiye Foundation, which cares for blind children, and then the Saint Kizito Center.

Upon his arrival at the Uwiragiye Foundation around 10 a.m., the Minister was welcomed by the founder and legal representative, Sylvie Uwiragiye, accompanied by heads of various services, blind children, and their non-disabled classmates. In his speech, Minister Nizigama praised the initiative of giving new life to vulnerable children such as the blind. He also commended the considerable efforts and resources invested by the founder to house these children in appropriate buildings.

To express his satisfaction and support for this initiative, he offered a bull to be slaughtered for the children during the next school term, in the second trimester. Sylvie Uwiragiye, in turn, expressed her gratitude to the Government of Burundi for its support, as evidenced by the visits of various authorities in the country. For Uwiragiye, this is a clear sign of the government’s commitment to persons with disabilities.

She then requested the Minister’s intervention in favor of the Foundation so that the government could contribute to the payment of teaching staff working at Penn Blind School, a school built by the same foundation to provide education adapted to their physical condition.

The Uwiragiye Foundation supports more than 95 children living with visual disabilities, while Penn Blind School enrolls a total of 290 students, including sighted ones. The majority of the blind students come from less fortunate families.

The International Day of Persons Living with Disabilities offers those concerned the opportunity to feel included and to discover that they are people like everyone else. It allows them to fully participate in social life and to develop financial autonomy. It is also an opportunity to engage in dialogue with decision-makers on national issues that concern them.

Author :  Gordien NIMUBONA