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Representatives of Union des Personnes Handicapées du Burundi and the Ministry of Human Rights, Business Social Affairs and Gender attended the launch.

Representatives of Union des Personnes Handicapées du Burundi and the Ministry of Human Rights, Business Social Affairs and Gender attended the launch.

The Anglican Church of Burundi and Friends Church in Burundi in partnership with World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network and the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission have embarked on a three-year journey of mainstreaming disability in their development programmes. This journey, aiming to improve the livelihoods of persons with disabilities in Burundi, began with the launch of a project entitled “Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Church Development Programmes in Burundi” held on 27 February in Bujumbura.

"Let us do what God has called us to do and that is to be in solidarity with persons with disabilities. Let us start with whatever we have in our hands to ensure that this project becomes a reality,” said Rev. Aloys Ningabira, Friends Church in Burundi legal representative.

Prior to the launch, the clergy and development workers representing these two churches were taken through a two-day awareness raising training on disability and development to prepare them for the implementation of the project. This involved being introduced to various disability laws and policies in Burundi, World Health Organisation community-based rehabilitation, United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Sustainable Development Goals as well as the WCC Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network Disability inclusion guidelines. These documents will guide the implementation of the project.

Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network website