Jean de Dieu Uwukunda is proving that what limits us is our creativeness. Regardless of being imaginative and prescient impaired, the Rwandan artist has created a thriving profession in portray and drawing.
His blindness has not hampered his skill to create artwork, together with portraits, sketches of people and animals, and structure, all of which rely vastly on eyesight.
He has developed his inventive skills, that are a significant approach for him to precise himself and take care of the difficulties of life.
Nonetheless, Uwukunda recounts it didn’t come straightforward.
The New Instances stories that the artist was not born blind. Nonetheless, following his commencement from secondary college, Uwukunda had a brief sickness that started as a headache and in the end led to his blindness.
He advised Africa Information, “As soon as I turned blind, I spotted that there’s no want to remain in mattress all day, I made a decision to renew my portray actions. I used to be depressed for an entire yr, I couldn’t even converse, I spent a lot time fascinated by what’s subsequent for my portray passion. I requested God for somewhat little bit of imaginative and prescient, as time glided by, I gained a little bit of sight from one eye. That’s how I managed to renew portray.”
Uwukunda now helps his household together with his work, incomes round 40,000 Rwandan Francs (roughly $40) per drawing to cowl their lease.
In an emotional ceremony in 2021, he married Chantal Vuguziga, who can be imaginative and prescient impaired. They turned a three-member family.
“Sitting right here, understanding that I obtained her (Chantal) as my spouse, I really feel like a common within the military,” he mentioned to the the New Instances on the time.
Uwukunda confronted a number of difficulties in his private life because of his visible impairment. He emphasised the restricted choices for disabled individuals and advocated for elevated authorities funding to allow disabled artists to thrive.
In the meantime, the Rwanda Union of the Blind’s Masaka Useful resource Middle director supplied his perspective on why disabled individuals obtain little help.
He advised Africa Information, “Jado was a pupil on this establishment, he was gifted and really decided to thrive in opposition to all odds. It’s true that disabled individuals do get handouts from the federal government however putting in self-reliant skills within the disabled individuals is what’s being prioritized , particularly by a non-public establishment like hours”.
There have been 744,000 visually handicapped individuals in Rwanda as of 2020. The Masaka useful resource middle solely accepts about 50 college students at the beginning of every yr; it invitations extra Rwandans to affix related rehabilitation amenities to achieve abilities and information and dwell a greater life.
Their web site states that their mission is to “work in the direction of the development of the state of affairs of blind individuals by training and rehabilitation to facilitate significant equality and integration.”
