Anitha holds Irasubiza at his first visit to Masaka Clinic, one of Hope Walks’ partner clinics in Rwanda
Words of Encouragement
Would you like to share a few words of encouragement to Irasubiza’s family? Simply email us at TheCrew@hopewalks.org. We will gather all the comments and share them with the country program staff, who will then pass them on to the family.
Irasubiza in Rwanda – Update 1
In the face of abandonment and uncertainty, hope begins here
I wanted to introduce you to a little guy we’re just getting to know — his name is Irasubiza, and he recently started clubfoot treatment in Rwanda.
Irasubiza is only a couple of months old, and he comes to the Masaka Clinic with his mom, Anitha. She’s raising four children on her own. Her oldest is 14, and Irasubiza is the youngest. The family gets by through casual labor — whatever work Anitha can find to support her kids.
After Irasubiza was born, the midwives immediately noticed his clubfoot and referred Anitha to the clinic’s physiotherapy department. Until that moment, she had never heard of clubfoot. Everything she knows about it, she learned after Irasubiza arrived — while she was still recovering from delivery and trying to figure out what life would look like next.
That first season hasn’t been easy. When news spread in the community that Anitha had given birth to a child with a disability, her husband left and has not returned. She continues to show up to clinic visits anyway — carrying Irasubiza, asking questions, and hoping this treatment will give her son the chance to walk, play and grow up without being defined by stigma.
Right now, Irasubiza is at the very beginning of treatment. His mother’s biggest question is the one many parents ask at this stage: Will this really work? Will my child be okay? Will our community see him differently one day?
What she does know is that she’s not walking this road alone. At the clinic, Anitha has been welcomed, encouraged, and supported by the care team — including a parent advisor who walks alongside families through moments exactly like this.
We’ll continue to check in on Irasubiza and share updates as his treatment progresses. For now, I wanted you to meet him — and to thank you for being part of the reason this clinic exists, and why families like Irasubiza’s have a place to turn.
(Above) The parent advisor at the clinic walks through some education about clubfoot and its treatment. (Below) Irasubiza is all ready to go home after receiving his first cast. He has unilateral clubfoot, so only one cast is needed.
Irasubiza in Rwanda – Update 2
One month in: challenges faced, progress seen, and confidence growing
I wanted to share a quick update on Irasubiza in Rwanda — and honestly, this one feels really special.
It’s been about a month since he started treatment, and his mom, Anitha, has been walking through a very demanding season. Between caring for Irasubiza’s casts, making regular clinic visits, and trying to keep up with daily work to provide for her family, it hasn’t been easy. At one point, she even made the difficult decision to send her two older children to stay with their grandmother so she could focus on Irasubiza’s care.
That’s the level of commitment we’re seeing.
And it’s already making a difference.
After just a few weeks, Anitha is noticing that Irasubiza’s foot is beginning to straighten and look more aligned. She’s also growing more confident — not just in the treatment itself, but in her ability to manage it day to day.
Even more encouraging? The fear and uncertainty she carried at the beginning are starting to fade.
At the clinic, she’s met other parents whose children are further along — some already in the bracing phase, with feet that look completely normal. Seeing that has changed everything for her. What once felt uncertain now feels possible.
And something else is shifting too — not just in Irasubiza’s feet, but in the community around them.
Where there was once doubt and quiet judgment, there’s now respect. People are noticing Anitha’s strength… her consistency… the way she keeps showing up. Some are even asking questions and wanting to learn more about the treatment themselves. What started as isolation is slowly turning into encouragement.
Anitha also shared how much the Parent Advisor, Munema, has meant to her during this time — offering practical help, encouragement, and reminding her that she’s not alone in this journey.
There are still challenges, of course. Balancing everything — work, caregiving, and the emotional weight of it all — hasn’t gone away. But there’s something new now alongside the difficulty: confidence.
We’ll keep you posted as Irasubiza continues through treatment. But for now, I wanted you to see what your support is making possible — not just in physical healing, but in restoring hope and dignity for this family.
(Above) Irasubiza with Francois, Rwanda’s counseling program coordinator, during a recent visit. (Below) Irasubiza with a clinician checking his foot and (right) Parent Advisor Bernadette talks with mom as they get ready to depart for home after an appointment.
Irasubiza in Rwanda – Update 3
The Road isn’t Always Smooth
I wanted to share a final update on Irasubiza in Rwanda — and this one is a little different than most.
If you’ve been following his story, you know how strong his mom, Anitha, has been from the very beginning. Over the past couple of months, that strength has been tested in ways none of us would have expected.
During Irasubiza’s second month of treatment, Anitha became seriously ill and had to be hospitalized with a severe infection. With no one else able to step in and care for him or manage his casts, his treatment had to pause for a time.
And when they were finally able to return to the clinic, the doctors noticed that his foot had begun to relapse — meaning he’ll need additional care to get back on track.
It’s not the smooth path we all hoped for.
And yet… there is still so much hope in this story.
Anitha hasn’t given up. In fact, if anything, she’s more determined than ever. She shared that even with the setbacks, she believes Irasubiza can still grow up healthy, active, and free — able to walk, run, go to school, and live a full life.
What’s also striking is how this journey has changed her.
She told us that through Irasubiza’s treatment, her heart has grown in compassion and understanding toward people with disabilities. Where there may have once been uncertainty, there is now empathy, courage, and a desire to stand up for others walking a similar road.
And through it all, she hasn’t been alone.
Her Parent Advisor, Bernadette, has continued to walk closely with her — offering encouragement, practical help, and reminding her of God’s love in the middle of a really hard season. That steady presence has helped Anitha keep going, even when things didn’t go as planned.
When we asked what she would want you to know, she didn’t sugarcoat it. She shared that this journey has been filled with long days, difficult moments, and uncertainty… but also hope, courage, and small victories that mean everything to her family.
And she wanted you to know this:
Your support is giving her son a real chance.
A chance to heal.
A chance to grow up strong.
A chance to live a life full of possibility.
So while Irasubiza’s journey isn’t finished yet, this feels like an important moment to pause and say thank you — for standing with families not just in the easy moments, but in the hard ones too.
We’ll be cheering him on every step of the way.
(Above) Irasubiza on the examination table all smiles. He seems clueless to the fact that his progress has slipped a bit because of his mom’s illness, but things will get back on track soon. (Below) Anitha participates in a parent support group.
