The Self-Advocacy Initiatives for the Disabled (S.A.I.D.) exists to promote the rights and care of those with disabilities. It was started by Jean-Pierre Sibomana who himself lost a leg during the genocide. Likewise, the other leaders also suffered both physically and mentally during that time. The leaders, who all have university degrees, are using their skills and knowledge to help the disabled community in a variety of ways.
SAID has discovered more than 460 people with disabilities living in the Kicukiro district of Gatenga who are in extreme poverty and not supported financially. Out of these 250 have been registered; 65% have physical disabilities; 20% are mentally disabled while 15% have a combination of both types of disability. From these, 150 people have benefitted from the support of SAID. SAID helps people access healthcare insurance, supports children with disabilities to have physiotherapy and appropriate medication, provides counselling and helps advocate and promote the rights of the disabled through legal services intervention. This project has helped people with disabilities to move from isolation and by playing a role within the community through vocational skills training. Learned skills help them to start their own businesses which helps them to support themselves.
