A World that Understands Stuttering

By Dieudonné N., Founder, African Stuttering Center Photo: Students at a school in Rwanda “My teacher makes fun of me in class every time I struggle to answer questions out loud,” Tuza shares. “I feel so ashamed that I just don’t want to go to school anymore.” Across vulnerable communities in Sub-Saharan Africa, thousands of children who stutter wake up every morning carrying a heavy, invisible burden. For students like Tuza in Rwanda, being called on to answer a question in class does not feel like an opportunity to participate. Instead, it can bring intense fear, embarrassment, and anxiety. In many schools, where speech-language professionals and formal support systems are limited or unavailable, teachers may misunderstand speech blocks as defiance, hesitation, or a lack of knowledge. In overcrowded classrooms, these misunderstandings can sometimes lead to public ridicule, bullying, or even physical punishment. For some children, the experience becomes so painful that they even...

By  Dieudonne N., Founder, African Stuttering Center Photo: students at school in Rwanda  In many vulnerable regions across Africa, children who stutter face systemic misunderstanding, verbal ridicule, and physical punishment at school due to a total lack of specialized care and teacher training. Many eventually drop out in shame. [Read the full case study here ] The African Stuttering Center, founded by Dieudonné Nsabimana, who experienced this abuse firsthand as a child, is actively breaking this cycle.  What does “28 for 1” mean?  A $28 gift sponsors 1 teacher to complete a full-day training workshop, equipping them with practical knowledge and tools to create a safer, more supportive classroom for children who stutter. Live Workshop Session. Teachers actively participating in a training session on supportive classroom strategies, designed to turn schools into safe and empathetic learning environments for children who stutter. Proven Impact: When 16-year-o...

We have launched a vital project: translating “1000 Answers: What Everyone Should Know About Stuttering ” by David Alpuche into Swahili. And we’re not just translating it; we’re making it freely available to those who need it most. On the right:  the original English version.  On the left:  the new Swahili version We invite you to join us in our mission to ensure everyone has the knowledge they need to understand stuttering. Your support (here) is vital in helping us bridge this gap and bring these essential resources to life. Every bit helps! Even $1. Here is the Q&A (7): 1. What is this project all about? We are translating the book, "1000 Answers: What Everyone Should Know About Stuttering" by David Alpuche, from English into Swahili. Our goal is to make this vital knowledge freely accessible to millions of Swahili speakers in East and Central Africa where resources on stuttering are extremely scarce. 2. Why is this translation so important?   A singl...

  By Dieudonne, Coordinator at the African Stuttering Center, Rwanda In many parts of the world, especially in developing countries like Rwanda, thousands of children who stutter face a harsh, often invisible reality: a daily struggle not only with their speech, but also with discrimination, misunderstanding, and shame.  Having personally experienced the pain of being a child who stutters, I understand the magnitude of this struggle. Today, I want to share with you our efforts to change this situation and how you can join this efforts. The Silent Crisis: Stuttering in Disadvantaged Communities Imagine being a child, excited to learn, but terrified to speak. That’s the reality for many young students who stutter across Africa. In many Rwandan schools and throughout much of the developing world there’s very little understanding of communication disorders. Teachers are rarely trained to recognize or support students who stutter. Instead, some respond with impatience, ridicule, or...

By: Dieudonne .N, Coordinator of  the African Stuttering Centre,  and a member of the International Stuttering Association Board of Directors   Eugenie   The purpose of this feature story is to shed light on the challenges facing school-aged children who stutter from disadvantaged backgrounds and   to give some insights about our efforts for positive change.  And it’s also to invite each of you to  Support our Efforts (Here) , about our anti-bullying initiative. At the end of this feature story, there is also an additional short video (one minute). A Life Rescued from Obscurity -  Eugenie, a 12 year old girl who stutters, is a pupil living in Africa in eastern Rwanda, where the teachers are in a total blackout with respect to the problems involved with stuttering . Eugenie's life degenerated a day when she was at school. Eugenie said that one day, when they were in class, her teacher asked her to say her name in front of her new cl...