"Amputee football, a seven-a-side version of the game in which players roam the field on crutches and goalkeepers have one arm, has grown steadily in Rwanda over the past decade. Players say they have found a community on the field after embracing a sport some never imagined they could play."
"In the capital Kigali, amputees play to foster healing and social cohesion after traumas that include the country's darkest period: the 1994 genocide, in which about 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were massacred by the majority Hutu population over a 100-day period."
"Louise Kwizera, the vice president of the Rwanda Amputee Football Federation, said the sport enables players to learn to trust again, building unity in a society that was once divided."
Amputee football in Rwanda has become a source of hope and community for players overcoming stigma and trauma. The sport, played on crutches, offers physical rehabilitation and a sense of belonging. It has grown steadily over the past decade, particularly in Kigali, where players unite to heal from the country's traumatic past, including the 1994 genocide. Many players, like Nyiraneza Solange, find freedom and resilience through the sport, while the Rwanda Amputee Football Federation emphasizes trust and unity in a previously divided society.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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