Amputee football empowers Rwandan women on and off the pitch

In Rwanda, amputee football is offering more than just sport — it is helping women rebuild confidence, overcome stigma and find a renewed sense of freedom.

Amputee football, a seven-a-side version of the game in which players roam the field on crutches and goalkeepers have one arm, has grown steadily in the country over the past decade.

Players say they have found a community on the field after embracing a sport some never imagined they could play.

For players like Nyiraneza Solange, the journey has been deeply personal.

"Before, in our community, I was fearing 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]," said Solange.

"Now I feel free, I do not care if you laugh at me because I am an amputee," she added.

On the field, players adapt to physical challenges while building resilience and skill. Goalkeeper Nikuze Angelique says 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."

Supporters of the sport say its impact goes far beyond competition. Fred Sorrels, manager of Haiti’s women’s amputee football team, highlights its broader benefits.

"At the end of the day it is a win win. It is a win because sport is advanced. Including all disability groups and it is a win psychologically and mentally for these ladies to have an opportunity to experience wholeness and wellness again," said Sorrels.

As amputee football continues to grow in Rwanda, it is creating a powerful space for healing, inclusion and self-acceptance — one match at a time.