Prince Nahimana is the person in charge of this art gallery located in the capital of Rwanda.

Deaf from birth, he never gave up his passion. Young, ambitious and creative, Prince has turned this gallery into a temple of knowledge where disabled creators like him come to learn and share their skills. Behind this idea lies a great dream: «We use colored beads to make portraits, flower pots, lamps. Our uniqueness helps us attract customers. We participate in various exhibitions, we use social networks and, thanks to them, many Rwandans visit our galleries. I plan to open other galleries in different districts; it's my dream. “I want to help children with hearing disabilities,” he explains.

Currently, the gallery has 21 people who graduated from an art school. Prince Nahimana studied in Uganda before returning to his country to, he says, provide opportunities to the disabled who are often forced to beg. In addition to the resistance of some parents to enroll their children, Prince's young venture faces other challenges: "We have difficulties communicating and there are other disabled people who work in wheelchairs. A disabled person works fewer hours than a non-disabled person. The problem is that when it comes to paying taxes, we pay the same amounts, so it's really difficult and unfair for us because we don't have the same capabilities.

According to statistics from the National Association of the Deaf, more than 70,000 people in Rwanda live with hearing and speech disabilities. Most of them earn their living through pottery, sewing and art.

Article source: africanews