KIGALI: In Rwanda, both men’s and women’s amputee football are drawing crowds, with players using the sport to heal and connect.
Women’s amputee football is slowly growing as players strike their crutches together with fierce determination as they chase the ball, dreaming of competing internationally.
Furthermore, Rwanda, led by President Paul Kagame, aims to participate in the upcoming second Amputee World Cup, scheduled to be hosted by Brazil and Poland next year.
Al Jazeera reports that young female players beamed with pride and joy as they enjoyed the game, their laughter echoing across the field. They watched as the goalkeeper bravely dove to block shots with her remaining hand, inspiring cheers.
Also known as a seven-a-side game, amputee football is a variant of the beautiful game in which players are spread across the field on crutches and goalkeepers have been spotted making crucial saves with one arm.
Rwanda, shaped by a devastating civil war, now witnesses amputee football fostering a strong sense of community and unity among players who are discovering new possibilities.
Amputee Football In Rwanda Brings A Sense of Belonging
Many players say amputee football provides physical rehabilitation and a deep sense of belonging, bringing healing and social cohesion to Kigali’s amputee community.
The genocide, described as Rwanda’s darkest period, saw almost 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus massacred over 100 days by the majority Hutu population.
One player, Nyiraneza Solange, born two years after the genocide, lost her leg at age five after falling and developing an infection. Solange told The Associated Press that she was inspired by the resilience of those who lost limbs during the genocide, attracting her to amputee football.
In addition, the youngster added that she was encouraged by Rwanda’s former mentor of the country’s first amputee football team, who told her she could use her crutches to play, and she didn’t hesitate.
The ambitious footballer, Solange, expressed that playing makes her feel liberated and proud, helping her overcome the stigma she once faced as an amputee. “I don’t even think about not having a leg,” she stated via AfricaNews, her voice filled with confidence.
“Before, in our community, I was afraid to go out into the society without my prosthesis, and I was using my prosthesis without crutches, out of fear of people seeing a young lady with an amputated [leg]. Now I feel free, I do not care if you laugh at me because I am an amputee.”
The deputy president of the Rwanda Amputee Football Federation, Louise Kwizera, noted that the sport enables players to learn to trust again, thus building unity in a society that “was once divided”.
“In communities affected by conflict or trauma, the playing field becomes a place of peace. People who may have different pasts come together as teammates,” Kwizera told The AP.
As the last line of defence, goalkeeper Nikuze Angelique said regular physical training helps her cope with the demands of the game.
“My biggest challenge is when the ball is hit to the side of the weak hand. It is hard to save the ball when it goes to the side with the receding hand. But with the training, I get by,” she expressed.
Amputee football in Rwanda stands as a powerful tool for healing, inclusion, and self-acceptance, transforming lives one match at a time.
Rwanda is estimated to have more than 3,000 lower-limb amputees, and some are victims of the genocide, while others are survivors of road accidents or illness.
