Visibly Invisible: An Exploration of the Educational Experiences of Rwanda's Rural Youth With Disabilities

• In Event: 52.064 - Disability Studies in Education: Promoting Justice Through Critical Narratives and Lived Experiences

Abstract

In post-conflict states like Rwanda where very little is known about the association between disability and deprivation, disabled young people are particularly vulnerable and frequently forgotten. Drawing on participant observation, semi-structured interviews of 20 participants, and focus group interviews this paper examines the educational experiences of rural disabled youth in Rwanda’s only inclusive secondary school. It explores the barriers to their politically promised development, the creative and collaborative coping strategies disabled youth employ in their educational journeys, and the challenge barriers pose to their advancement. This study highlights the context-specific factors (e.g. poverty and disability) and forces (e.g. family and religion/culture) that enable or limit the development of disabled young people’s educational experiences.

Author

• Derron Wallace, University of Cambridge