MEANINGFUL INVOLVEMENT

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Last year, June 2021 started the first cohort of fellows of the Voices of Non-Communicable Diseases and Injuries (NCDIs) Poverty Advocacy Fellowship, from the NCDIs Poverty Network. I was given the opportunity to be part of the fellowship together with three other fellows from Uganda, Kenya, and Nepal. The fellowship aims to help influence a call of action around NCDIs in the poorest countries. Fellows work to develop work plans that focus on building a community of people living with NCDIs (PLWNCDIs), and amplifying and leveraging their experiences. 

Throughout the fellowship we have been working together on disease-specific issues to co-develop and implement advocacy projects, in collaboration with the larger NCDI Poverty Network. I have been developing a project focusing on creating patient support groups or Solidarity groups of people living with Type 1 Diabetes. The main Goal of the project is To improve the quality of health of young people living with Type 1 Diabetes. People living with Type 1 Diabetes will come together, share their experience, learn from each other, create advocacy ideas, and gather ideas that can help them financially. This is because there is a need to break down Stigma among people living with T1D, and a need to expand Diabetes knowledge between them and the community as well.
I have been given the opportunity to participate in the East Africa Regional Meeting, commemorating the World’s Diabetes Month; November. I was invited to share my 11 years experience of living with Type 1 Diabetes. It was a great opportunity for me to be the voices of other people living with Type 1 Diabetes in Rwanda, and making sure that our voices are amplified.


I have met opportunities throughout the fellowship, where I have participated in the first Knowledge exchange of the NCDI Poverty Network, with the Topic: Leading with Equity Prioritising Severe NCDs that Impact Children and Young adults. The discussions were about how meaningful the work of NCDIs is, how it impacts our lives, how we get the community involved and the future vision of NCDIs.

 


I have been working with The Rwanda Diabetes Association (RDA) in some advocacy projects. I got the opportunity to volunteer in two Diabetes Youth Camp. It was a great experience where I was able to help train the young people living with Type 1 Diabetes, As well as learn too. 

Through the RDA, I have chosen to be part of the International Diabetes Federation(IDF) Young Leaders in Diabetes (YLD). The programme aims at creating a voice for young people with Diabetes Worldwide. It provides young people with Diabetes education to empower and help them become efficiency advocates for themselves and other people living with Diabetes.


Me,  in a white t-shirt, taking notes from the group discussions

"Nothing for us, Without us"



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