I suppose this might not actually be true, but Rwanda is certainly the least accessible place I have ever been to. I’m talking in terms of people with disabilities getting around and being able to live lives. The Land of One Thousand Hills makes it impossible to go virtually anywhere in the country with ease. Can you imagine pushing yourself or a loved one in a wheelchair up a steep hill for potentially miles? I can barely get myself up these things on two legs! And because of the constant elevation changes, every building has a multitude of stairs. Not to mention, the lips onto the roads or onto driveways, the small hallways and doorways, and the cobblestone. EVERYWHERE. (For those of you that don't know, cobblestone is the worst in wheelchairs. It's like you're on the rockiest, bumpiest, most unpleasant ride ever. I don't even like it on a motorcycle.)
I thought Nicaragua was bad, but that’s just because there aren’t as many paved roads. Get a 4-wheel drive wheelchair (idk if that’s real), and you might be able to see some things there, but there is an inconvenience or challenge everywhere you look in Rwanda. As it is, most people with disabilities I see are on crutches or using canes out of necessity- including those with amputated legs. I have seen less than 5 wheelchairs since I’ve been here, and honestly, I don’t blame them. There are many times when I look at a house and think, “Oh man, if someone was in a wheelchair, they’d never be able to get out of their house”. I think the only truly handicapped accessible building I've seen was Parliament.
These are the things I think about when I travel anywhere – Thanks Dad. But it’s amazing to me that many people in the world, especially in the States, don’t give a second thought about accessibility except that they want to use accessible bathrooms because they’re bigger. Look around, open your eyes. Can everyone live where you live? And what can we do to improve the way of living for others?
I thought Nicaragua was bad, but that’s just because there aren’t as many paved roads. Get a 4-wheel drive wheelchair (idk if that’s real), and you might be able to see some things there, but there is an inconvenience or challenge everywhere you look in Rwanda. As it is, most people with disabilities I see are on crutches or using canes out of necessity- including those with amputated legs. I have seen less than 5 wheelchairs since I’ve been here, and honestly, I don’t blame them. There are many times when I look at a house and think, “Oh man, if someone was in a wheelchair, they’d never be able to get out of their house”. I think the only truly handicapped accessible building I've seen was Parliament.
These are the things I think about when I travel anywhere – Thanks Dad. But it’s amazing to me that many people in the world, especially in the States, don’t give a second thought about accessibility except that they want to use accessible bathrooms because they’re bigger. Look around, open your eyes. Can everyone live where you live? And what can we do to improve the way of living for others?