Helen Keller, Stephen Hawking, Franklin Roosevelt. These individuals are all notable figures who have made significant achievements, despite being people with disabilities. Do you know what they have in common regarding their success?

The key to their success was the unwavering support of dedicated assistants. Helen Keller, a deaf-blind social activist, had her teacher, Anne Sullivan, as her guiding force. Despite Stephen Hawking, a theoretical physicist, having all his muscles paralyzed due to ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), he had Jane Wilde as his unwavering support. Franklin D. Roosevelt, who led the U.S. through the Great Depression as President, had lower body paralysis due to polio. However, his wife, Eleanor Roosevelt, stood by his side as his trusted political partner. They can transcend their disabilities and achieve remarkable feats due to the support of those around them. 

If they lacked supportive assistants, the groundbreaking theories that greatly advanced modern science and the "New Deal" policy that rescued the U.S. economy during the Great  Depression might not have materialized. We must create opportunities for individuals with disabilities to have faith in their abilities and pursue their aspirations.

According to the 2018 UN report on disability and development, the journey toward economic empowerment for individuals with disabilities remains full of challenges. Prejudice and discrimination that label people with disabilities as unable to work create barriers to their economic self-sufficiency. In fact, as per the 4th Rwanda Population and Housing Census, the labor force participation rate (LFPR) for people with disabilities stands at 56%, which is lower than that of the non-disabled population (75%). In comparison to households without disabilities, those that include individuals with disabilities are more susceptible to poverty.

As a result of poverty, individuals with disabilities often encounter challenges in accessing education and realizing their fundamental rights, which should be available to everyone. There may be future social innovators, brilliant scientists, or even presidents among them. We must create opportunities for people with disabilities to unlock their potential and pursue their dreams starting now.

Mushimiyimana Gaudence, a disability rights activist in Rwanda with 20 years of experience, became a person with disabilities due to a sudden accident in 1992. Since then, she has been actively engaged in advocating for disability rights and self-reliance. Through meeting various individuals with disabilities, Gaudence has become aware of the challenges disabled people face in achieving independence, such as low self-esteem, lack of knowledge, and skills. With a belief "all individuals with disabilities have the ability to create change," Gaudence started the DisAbility Link Center to support individuals with disabilities in realizing their full potential and living independently, regardless of their disabilities.

"No one is perfect in this world. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. People with disabilities are no different. What's more important than disabilities is to focus on each person's strengths and help them cultivate their potential. Every person with a disability has the potential to make a difference!"