Avuye mu bitaro, yahise ashaka icyatuma utabona agenda mu nzira akanambuka imihanda adahutajwe, ari bwo yahimbye inkoni yera (White cane cyangwa Canne blanche), bityo abasha kugenda nta muntu umurandase ndetse na nijoro ikagaragara.

Icyo gihe ariko yari inkoni isanzwe, igiti cyo mu ishyamba yashishuye agisiga irangi ry’umweru, noneho agiye kwambuka umuhanda wari hafi y’iwe abanza kuyizamura, imodoka z’iburyo n’iz’ibumoso zirahagarara arambuka, ahita yumva ko umweru ugaragara cyane.

Bahereye aho bakora inkoni ndende ifite ibara ry’umweru n’ikirindi cy’umukara, akenshi igera mu gituza cy’uyikoresha, ikoze mu cyuma kitaremera (aluminium) cyangwa muri pulasitiki kugira ngo itaremerera uyikoresha.

Iyo nkoni ivuguruye, uyitwaje inkuba ntiyamukubita, kandi irazingwa kugira ngo itarushya nyirayo mu gihe atarimo kuyikoresha, hari n’aho yongeweho ibara rito ry’umutuku, iyo ngo ikaba igenewe ufite ubumuga bwo kutabona no kutumva.

Ubundi Inkoni yera ni iki?

Inkoni yera ni igikoresho nyunganizi gifite ibice bitatu, birimo ikirindi cyo hejuru ari cyo umuntu afata, hakaba uruti (hagati cyangwa mu ngingo zayo) hakaba n’ijisho (munsi yayo) kigafasha umuntu utabona mu buryo bubiri, burimo gufasha uyikoresha nk’ikimenyetso mpuzamahanga kimwerekana nk’umuntu ufite ubumuga bwo kutabona hamwe no gutuma ashobora kugenda neza.

Nubwo uwavuga ko inkoni yera ari ijisho ry’abafite ubumuga bwo kutabona ataba yibeshye, ariko kandi ntabwo ubwayo ifite ubushobozi bwo kwikoresha kuko ikoreshwa na nyirayo, ikamufasha kumenya niba imbere ye nta kintu gihari gishobora kumuteza ibyago (kugira icyo agonga cyangwa ngo abe yagwa mu kinogo).

Imibare yagaragajwe n’Ibarura rusange rya gatanu ry’abaturage n’imiturire ryakozwe mu 2022, yerekana ko mu Rwanda hari abantu bafite ubumuga bwo kutabona barenga ibihumbi 165, mu gihe imibare y’ibanze yatangajwe n’Inama y’Igihugu y’abafite ubumuga (NCPD), ku ikusanyamakuru ryakozwe mu gihugu hose mu 2024, ryerekanye ko mu Rwanda hari abantu bafite ubumuga bwo kutabona barenga gato ibihumbi 107.

Umuyobozi Nshingwabikorwa w’Ubumwe Nyarwanda bw’abatabona (RUB), Jaques Mugisha, avuga ko gukoresha inkoni yera bisaba kubihugurirwa kuko kuyikoresha bisaba ubumenyi bwihariye.

Ati “Tugira isomo ribafasha kumenya uburyo bwo kwigenza no kwiyobora ukoresheje inkoni yera, (Mobility and Orientation). Tubanza kwigamo ubundi inkoni yera ni iki? Icyo nicyo kintu cya mbere tubanza kubabwira dusobanura inkoni iyo ariyo, kugira ngo ayimenye asobanukirwe n’uburyo bwo kuza kuyikoresha.”

Arongera ati “Icya kabiri ni ukumenya gukoresha ya nkoni kuko igira uburyo ikoreshwamo bitewe n’aho uri, niba ugeze ku nganzi (Steps cyangwa escalier) inkoni uraza kumenya uko uri buyikoreshe, ikindi ni ukuyikoresha mu gihe uri kumwe n’undi muntu, nabwo dutozwa uko tuza kuyikoresha, tukanahugurirwa kuyikoresha ugeze mu bantu benshi, mu muhanda, winjiye mu nzu n’ibindi.”

Muri rusange abafite ubumuga bwo kutabona bahabwa amahugurwa yo gusubizwa mu buzima busanzwe (Rehabilitation Training), akorwa mu gihe cy’amezi atandatu, agakorerwa mu kigo kiri mu Murenge wa Masaka mu Karere ka Kicukiro (Masaka Resource Center for the Blind).

Mu gihe cy’amezi atandatu uwahuguwe ahamara, ahava afite ubushobozi bwo gusoma no kwandika inyandiko y’abatabona (Braille), gukoresha inkoni yera no gukora imirimo y’ibanze.

Nubwo abafite ubumuga bwo kutabona batozwa bakanigishwa gukoresha inkoni yera, ariko ngo basigara babangamirwa n’abandi bantu babana mu buzima bwa buri munsi batari bamenya akamaro kayo rimwe na rimwe bigateza impanuka nko mu muhanda, kubera batahawe agaciro ngo baberekere.
Hari amoko agera kuri atatu y’inkoni yera, kuko harimo isanzwe ari nayo ikoreshwa mu Rwanda, hakaba n’izindi zikoresha ikoranabuhanga, harimo irimo kugeragezwa mu Rwanda ifite kamera (Camera) ishobora gutahura icyo ari cyo cyose gishobora guteza nyirayo ibyago, bitewe n’uko imuburira akabyumvira mu kuboko kuyifashe.

Izindi ni izikoresha ikoranabuhanga rya GPS, ifite ubushobozi bwo kubwira nyirayo icyerekezo arimo, gusa nayo ikaba idafite ubushobozi bwo kumuburira niba hari ikintu kiri imbere ye gishobora kumuteza ibyago.

Kuba nta hantu zikorerwa mu Rwanda, bituma kuzibona bikiri imbogamizi kuko inkoni isanzwe ihagera ihagaze amadolari y’Amerika 40 (arenga ibihumbi 50 by’Amafaranga y’u Rwanda), mu gihe izikoresha ikoranabuhanga ziri hejuru y’amadolari 120 (arenga ibihumbi 170 Frw) kandi zose zikaba zishobora gusaza bitewe n’uko zikoreshwa naho zikoresherezwa.

Abafite ubumuga bwo kutabona basaba abantu ku giti cyabo, imiryango itandukanye, kugira uruhare mu kubafasha kubona inkoni yera kuko ari amaso yabo kandi hari umubare munini w’abatazifite bitewe n’uko atari buri wese wayigondera.