From the historical background of Persons with Short Stature, they seem to be vulnerable and this made the society have negative mindset toward them where they are still taken as children, renamed bad names, rumors of bringing chance and many other negative ideologies related to them.
That is why under DRF/DRAF financial support, Rwanda Union of Little People had a group therapy through discussion on fighting stigma, self-reliance, and self-advocacy for girls and women with short stature from Musanze and Nyamasheke districts, TUYISHIMIRE Honorine explains how the historical challenges of persons with short stature and how to overcome the challenges they face due to that history.
” Historically, there are a number of challenges encountered by people with short statures like inaccessing qualitative education, health care services, work and vocations, poor educational backgrounds, low self-esteem and employment services. In addition, there is society’s negative mindsets, poverty, discrimination, rumors and personally, there is stigma. All of those challenges, are shackles on Little Peoples ’arms”.
TUYISHIMIRE continued saying that when it comes to a woman, it adds more challenges due to their history. But. “Women with Short Stature need to break that chain through being self-reliant, fight stigma and doing self-advocacy. That is why we are having this group therapy with them”
Marie Chantal NIYONSABA, a woman with Short Stature from Nyamasheke district said that the conversation was really needed to them as persons with Short Stature, especially as women and girls.
“Truly, I cannot explain how important is this kind of conversation. As persons with short stature especially women, we need to be self-reliant regardless of disability, we need to be respected for our human rights as equal members of society, participate in every social activity by self choice and self determination and share the responsibility as social members, in harmonious society where we belong”.
Tabia DUSANGIYITETO from Musanze district said that any person needs such kind of therapy because when you are not self -reliant, you lose a sense of responsibility for yourself, confusion and irresponsible occur and become always dependable.
“Kindly, we thank everyone who contributed in having this group therapy on fighting stigma, self-reliance, and self-advocacy for girls and women with short stature. This will help us in the society, where we live. We are going to be self-reliant, fight for our rights and change the negative mindset toward us.”
Honorine TUYISHIMIRE, requested all the participant to use what they have learnt in their every day’s life regardless barriers they will face in the journey to the success. “ This is not easy, but it is possible, we are able, let us work together and break the chain of our challenges like stigma, poverty, society’s negative mindset and many more others through being self -reliant and advocacy”.
