Hope Magazine - Isue 109

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TELLING RWANDA’S STORY

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Mara Phones donates 40,000 face masks in the COVID-19 fight

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CONTENTS HOPE MAGEZINE

ISSUE 109 EDITORIAL

18. SERENA HOTELS in Rwanda support vulnerable families affected by coronavirus 21. COGEBANQUE Plc donates RWF 100 Million relief funds to the Government of Rwanda to Support National Efforts of combating COVID-19

12 9. AIRTEL RWANDA launches One Stop Digital Platform to offer self-care services 10. MARA PHONES RWANDA donates 40,000 face masks in the COVID-19 fight 12. NCBA, MTN and HUAWEI to Support 1,500 Motorists Impacted by Covid-19 Lockdown 13. KCB BANK RWANDA donates food items worth over 3 million Rwf to genocide survivors

22. COVID-19: SP Limited donates 10,000 liters of fuel to SAMU, RNP

HIGHLIGHTS KCB BANK RWANDA

3,000,000 TO GENOCIDE SURVIVORS

24. AIRTEL RWANDA donates Rwf 135 million in support of national efforts of combating COVID-19

18 KCB Bank Rwanda donates food items worth over 3 million Rwf to genocide survivors BANK

51. WORLD BANK Supports Rwanda’s COVID-19 Response

29. VIVO ENERGY RWANDA, Engen Licensee donates 5,000 liters of fuel to Emergency Medical Care Services 32. BRALIRWA Plc donates disinfectant supplies to contain the spread of COVID-19

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33. Coronavirus: BANK OF KIGALI offers three-month moratorium, donates Rwf 282 M to COVID-19 Solidarity Fund 6

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Let’s borrow a leaf from Mara Phones

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OVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented human crisis and economic slowdown.

Temporary closure of borders, suspending flights, imposing lockdown has immensely affected people in many aspects of life as many activities were put on hold.

After gathering relevant information with regard to the pandemic, businesses have been allowed to reopen with conditions of adhering to instituted health guidelines including social distancing, wearing face masks and washing hands among others.

As the world struggles to bring back the situation to normal, Governments, international organizations, corporate, small businesses and individuals have a lesson to pull from the crisis and should be on alert to embrace new resilient, proactive approaches to deal with similar situation.

As part of ongoing efforts to COVID-19 response, many institutions have donated hand sanitizers, face masks among

Hope Magazine assume no liability for error or omissions in this publication. All Advertisements are taken in good faith, opinions and views contained herein are not necessarily those of the publisher. All copyrights and trademarks are recognized. No part of this publication or contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in retrievable system or transmitted in any form without written permission by Hope Magazine. Exemption is hereby granted for extracts with purpose of fair review. ©2013 www,hope-mag.com HM 7

others complementing the Government of Rwanda’s latest efforts to contain the effects of the pandemic through food donations during lock-down.

Having officially opened doors to Rwanda’s market recently in October 2019; Mara Phones was not left behind supporting the cause. It has recently donated 4,000 face masks to the needy. This complements existing efforts of giving a boost to Rwanda’s digital advancement with Made in Rwanda smartphones at affordable price.

The response to COVID-19 requires more institutions to emulate similar gesture and ensure the most hit hard people carry on daily activities in good health.

Again, the situation should awaken us to consolidate efforts in whatever circumstances to defeat COVID-19.

Let’s borrow a leaf from Mara Phones.

Together we can.

Théophile Niyitegeka We appreciate your feedback. Keep sending more on info@hope-mag.com or visit www.hope-mag.com to post your comment on any published story. We shall pick it and respond to you asap!

ISSUE 109 EDITORIAL

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ISSUE

HOPE MAGAZINE

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Airtel Rwanda launches One Stop Digital Platform to offer self-care services

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s part of ongoing efforts to efficiently serve customers and contain the spread of COVID-19, Airtel Rwanda has launched ‘My Airtel App’ to offer selfcare services.

The launch of My Airtel App which coincided with the introduction of Community Champion campaign is a self-care application that offers its customers a convenient self-service channel to manage their account and interact with Airtel Rwanda Customer Care, bringing the best of services together under one unified platform.

The self-care app comes with a reward system, where Airtel will be rewarding a ‘Community Champion’.

The portal will offer customers a host of convenient self-care features on a single interface, download and pay bills online, view payment history and complete account management.

The app complements Government’s social distancing efforts to curb the spread of Coronavirus-19 as physical interaction seeking services will be limited.

Download now on: http://onelink.to/ e4wgbc Speaking on the campaign, Amit Chawla Airtel Rwanda Managing Director explained that the portal was designed and developed after spending extensive time, researching customer needs and understanding their needs for a time efficient yet simple and easy one-stop platform offering customer support.

“I know this pandemic has not made it easy for us to be with our loved ones and with that we hope that sharing airtime and sending them money will help them in their time of need,” he said.

“The self-care app is a simple, secure and convenient way for Airtel prepaid mobile customers to access a whole host of functionalities including checking balance airtime, data, sms and Airtel Money, topup: recharge with

The self-care app comes with a reward system, where Airtel will be rewarding a ‘Community Champion’.

To become a Community Champion, all one needs to do is download the selfcare app and make a recharge for friends and family. The community champion will then get 5% airtime back instantly for recharging the accounts of their family and friends. www,hope-mag.com HM 9

a bundle, airtime and data packs, view and purchase bundles, buy goods and services and also one will be able to contact us directly on our social media channels” added Chawla.

With the newly launched app, customers can also make transfers to bank accounts.

The launch of online self service capabilities for Airtel mobile customers is one of the company’s ongoing efforts towards delivering the best customer experience in the digital space and empowering customers with a convenient, non-intrusive and 24×7 available way of managing their mobile accounts especially during this time of strengthening measures to curb Covid-19.

ABOUT AIRTEL Airtel Africa Limited is a pan-African telecommunications company with operations in 14 countries across Africa.

Airtel Africa is driven by the vision of providing affordable and innovative mobile services to all and is supported in pursuing this vision by its largest shareholder, Bharti Airtel. Its product offerings include 2G, 3G and 4G wireless voice and data services and mobile commerce through ‘Airtel Money’. Airtel Africa had over 97 million customers across its operations at the end of December 2018.

AIRTEL RWANDA | BUSINESS

The offer allows Airtel Rwanda mobile customers to gift their friends and family and gets rewarded in return. The customers will also easily manage their accounts online by logging onto My Airtel app on iOS or Android phones.

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MARA PHONE | COMMUNICATION

Mara Phones donates 40,000 face masks in the COVID-19 fight

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ara Phones Rwanda has donated 40,000 face masks to support the Government of Rwanda efforts in containing the spread of COVID-19. The face masks will be distributed by the Government to those in need.

Wearing face masks is part of measures instituted by the Government to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Speaking on the donation, the Managing Director of Mara Phones Rwanda Eddy Sebera explained that the gesture is meant to protect everyone including customers and employees.

“Mara Phones suspended activities for two months following measures and recommendations from the Government of Rwanda to contain the spread of Coronavirus.

We have donated 40,000 face masks to support government efforts,” he said.

The company has so far exported smartphones up to 56 countries on African continent, USA, Europe and Asia.

The face masks have been handed to Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) to be distributed to beneficiaries.

With its Mara Experience Stores located at KBC and KIC, Mara Phones Rwanda is eyeing a dealership with distributors expected to boost expansion and visibility in various parts of the country.

Located at Plot No. 2166 Kigali Special Economic Zone, Ndera, Gasabo District, Kigali, Mara Phones Rwanda Factory, is the first Africa’s high-tech smartphone factory inaugurated in October last year.

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Mara Phones Rwanda manufactures two models; Mara X and Mara Z.

www.maraphones.com

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HOPE MAGAZINE

NCBA, MTN and Huawei to Support 1,500 Motorists Impacted by Covid-19 Lockdown

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CBA, MTN Rwanda and Huawei Rwanda have today announced that they will, through MoKash, extend support to members of the FERWACOTAMO Motorcycle Federation that have been adversely impacted by the current Covid-19 lockdown.

MTN RWANDA | COMMUNICATION

The federation that oversees Moto riders nationwide, has identified 7 Cooperatives namely Gecomo, Korandebe Motari, Koranumucyo Motari, Nyamocoop, Cyinyoni, Twiyubake and GCM Gatsata whose members will be beneficiaries of this initiative.

Based on FERWACOTAMO’s selection criteria of the most vulnerable households, 1,500 riders have been identified and will each receive Rwf 10,000 into their MoKash Savings Account.

Mitwa Ng’ambi, CEO of MTN Rwanda said, “We believe it is the responsibility of all organisations to assist where they can during the pandemic. With the necessary restriction on movement to curb the spread of Covid-19, we acknowledge motorists to be one of the groups most affected. In partnership with NCBA and Huawei, we saw it important to assist as much as we can. This is one of various initiatives we have put in place to support Rwandans during this difficult time.”

Accessible via MTN Mobile Money (by dialling *182*5#), MoKash is a Savings and Loan product offered by NCBA and MTN. MoKash provides 30-day term loans at 9% interest. Through MoKash, customers can also open savings accounts with interest of up to 7% per annum.

Lina Higiro, CEO of NCBA Bank Rwanda said, “The Moto is synonymous to Kigali living. In this time of crisis, it is a privilege to partner with MTN and Huawei to not only support, 1,500 Moto rider families during these challenging times, but to introduce an easy digital mobile savings option to cushion unlikely events like these in the future.”

Commenting about the partnership, Country Director of Huawei Rwanda, Mr. Toni Yangshengwan said, “We realise the need to support our fellow country people who have been hit hard by the impact of Covid-19 and take the responsibility to

reach out to those we can in our capacity.

I would like to thank MTN Rwanda and NCBA for this initiative and partnership, as I am sure it will help many. We encourage everyone to follow the guidelines given by the Government of Rwanda. Together, we will win.”

Thanking NCBA, MTN and Huawei, Daniel Ngarambe, Chairman of the FERWACOTAMO Association said, “We are humbled, and deeply appreciative by the generosity and tripartite partnership formed to support our most vulnerable members through this difficult time.

NCBA, MTN and Huawei remain committed to stand ready to leverage their core expertise, technology and infrastructure to support and align their interventions and responses with the efforts of the Government of Rwanda to contain and mitigate the spread of Covid-19.

ABOUT NCBA BANK RWANDA PLC NCBA Bank Rwanda PLC is a full-service bank providing a broad range of financial products and services to corporate, institutional, SME and consumer banking customers. NCBA Rwanda is part of NCBA Group PLC that was created on 1st October 2019 following the merger of NIC Group PLC (NIC) and Commercial Bank of Africa Limited (CBA). NCBA Group operates a network of more than 100 branches in five countries including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and 12 HM www,hope-mag.com

Ivory Coast. Serving over 50 million customers, the NCBA Group is the largest banking group in Africa by customer numbers.

ABOUT MTN RWANDA: MTN Rwanda is the market leader in the mobile telecommunications industry in Rwanda. Since 1998, MTN Rwanda has continuously invested in expanding and modernizing its network and is now proudly Rwanda’s No 1 Internet Network.

MTN Rwanda offers superior services to its subscriber base, including innovative propositions such as personalized voice and data offers with MTN Irekure. The company is also the front runner in Mobile Financial Services in Rwanda with Mobile Money, MoMoPay and MoKash Loans and Savings.

ABOUT HUAWEI RWANDA: Huawei is a multinational networking, telecommunications equipment and services company with its Head Quarter in Shenzhen, China. Huawei is a top technology company in the world and majors in different business groups that include carrier, enterprise and consumer business group. Huawei Rwanda is a registered entity in Rwanda and has been in operation since 2008 and has since been enhancing technological development by working with both private and the Government of Rwanda in different fields.

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MTN Rwanda Ramps Up Efforts to Support Communities In The Fight Against Covid-19

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TN Rwanda has announced that is has put in place additional interventions to support the Government’s efforts to communicate and raise awareness on precautionary measures to prevent and contain the spread of Covid-19.

Driven by the belief that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected life, MTN has rolled out a series of mobile connectivity, digital and mobile fintech solutions for its communities.

The company, through its Foundation, has donated Frw 10 million to Rwanda Biomedical Centre to support them as they work tirelessly to stop the spread of the virus and has offered free MTN calls among health workers for a period of 90 days. MTN has also availed free media channel space (radio, TV, social media, SMS, Ring Back Tone, IVR platform) to promote the Ministry of Health’s sensitization messages.

In partnership with the Ministry of Education and Ministry of ICT and Innovation, MTN has made online access to Rwandan universities & school websites free to allow students to access in house learning materials. Students can access https://elearning.reb.rw/, https:// elearning.ur.ac.rw/ and https://elearning.rp.ac. rw/ at any time without consuming any data.

“We know how important it is to support continued learning for students during this period when institutions of learning are closed. To this end, we have zero-rated some educational websites to enable learners to access core curriculum materials and facilitate distance learning,” she added.

In a bid to better serve customers in this period and beyond, MTN through its Digital platforms, recently announced that it has also increased the daily limit on Airtime Transfer (Me2U) from Rwf 3,000 to Rwf 6,000 as well as increased the airtime account balance limit from Rwf 500,000 to Rwf 1,000,000.

In cooperation with the Central Bank of Rwanda to drive cashless payments, MTN Rwanda recently waived fees on sending money to others, on all transactions from Banks to MoMo wallets and vice versa, as well

as payments for goods and services using MoMoPay for a period of 90 days.

Social distancing amongst other precautionary interventions has undoubtedly increased the importance of communities staying digitally connected. In light of this, MTN has seen a spike in Internet traffic.

Indicating how the company plans to deal with the upsurge in online traffic and network load, Mrs. Ng’ambi said, “We have noted an increase in internet traffic, almost doubling in residential areas due to the current situation.

We have taken immediate actions to optimize and expand the existing network resources to accommodate the increase in demand over the coming weeks.”

A key priority for MTN is to ensure business continuity. Services over this time will be even more critical, so priority is ensuring network continuity, availability of spares and equipment and the upgrading of capacity.

MTN Rwanda has taken a series of precautionary measures to ensure continuity of services and the safety of its stakeholders including employees, customers, communities and suppliers against the outbreak.

All recommended and necessary prevention mechanisms have been put in place in all MTN touchpoints. A work-from-home plan for employees has been implemented in order to reduce the number of employees in offices and Service Centres at a given time and provisioning of hand sanitizers and temperature screening www,hope-mag.com HM 13

at all points. Franchisees, Agents and Suppliers/Service Providers have also been guided to ensure that they are taking the same precautionary and preventative measures.

Customers can seek MTN services through the call centre by dialling 100, visit the Service Centres from 8am to 3pm or engage MTN agents that remain operational to ensure continued Mobile Money and airtime service delivery.

To curb the spread of Covid-19, Rwanda Utilities and Regulatory Authority (RURA) has put in place measures for Agents to adhere to when conducting transactions with customers. MTN Mobile Money and Airtime Agents must wear gloves and masks at all times and keep a 1 metre distance from customers. They are not allowed to work under the same umbrella/ station nor exchange mobile devices.

Agents who violate these set guidelines will be subject to penalties which may include closure of their businesses.

“MTN Rwanda’s top priorities are to keep our customers connected and our employees safe and healthy. We stand ready to leverage our core expertise, technology and infrastructure to support and align our response with the efforts of the Government to contain and mitigate the spread of Covid-19,” concluded Mrs. Ng’ambi.

MTN RWANDA | COMMUNICATION

“MTN’s priority is keeping people connected during this period. We need to play our part in the alleviation of the economic, social and educational impact through the support of key institutions such as Health, ICT and Education,” said MTN CEO, Mitwa Ng’ambi.

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KCB Bank Rwanda donates food items worth over 3 million to genocide survivors

KCB BANK | BANKING

KCB Bank Rwanda PLC has donated food items worth Rwf 3.4 million to the community of survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Kimironko sector, Gasabo district.

Beneficiaries are from 160 families including genocide widows and orphans.

Donated food items include sacks of rice, maize flour, beans, cooking oil and sugar given to beneficiaries on Friday 15th May 2020 in presence of IBUKA and KBC Bank Rwanda representatives.

IBUKA Project Manager, Brave Olivier Ngabo extolled KCB Bank Rwanda for the support to the needy especially during these hard times of containing the spread of Coronavirus.

“We have been delighted with the donations. The gesture is additional to our existing partnership with KCB over the past two years. We chose this community following the bank’s commitment to donate to genocide survivors,” he said.

“Such kind act gives us strength during this commemoration period especially these hard times when people have been hit hard struggling to cope with COVID-19 effects. The support is of great significance to IBUKA and 800 beneficiaries from the 160 families,” added Ngabo.

IBUKA is an umbrella organisation of Genocide survivors associations.

Tutsi especially during this period of coping with Coronavirus effects, has really touched our hearts. This puts beneficiaries out of isolation knowing there are kind people thinking about them despite gruesome memories of past tragedies,” she said.

Steven Ndahiro, KCB Bank Rwanda, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility explained that the gesture is part of initiatives to support the community upon which the bank roots sustainability.

“KCB attaches great relevance to supporting the community. Therefore, we thought of sharing part of our income during these hard times as the world strives to curb effects of COVID-19.

In addition, we donated 100 Million Rwandan Francs to the Government of Rwanda to further facilitate Rwandans in managing the effects of COVID-19,”he said.

KCB Bank Rwanda was awarded the RDB Business Excellence Award as Skills Development Promoter of the Year 2019 for the

Verdiana Mukamunana, the President of Association of Widows of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi (AVEGA) in Kimironko, hailed KCB for the support that comes in handy. “Supporting and visiting us as we commemorate the 1994 Genocide against the

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bank’s foundation’s Igire Programme that was launched in 2018, in partnership with the National Youth Council.

ABOUT KCB BANK RWANDA PLC KCB Bank Rwanda PLC, is a subsidiary of KCB Group (Kenya), opened its first branch in December 2008 and has since opened twelve (12) more branches, a Corporate and an Advantage banking centre for premier banking, spreading our network across the country. With an asset base of Rwf 200 Billion, the bank is well positioned to offer convenient banking services to both individuals and businesses in Rwanda, providing high end digital banking services that cater to instant mobile account opening, mobile loans, real time transfers, and utility payments.

The bank continues to prioritize community development through its Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives under the KCB Foundation.

Thus far, the bank has invested over Rwf 150 Million in community projects that have focused on social infrastructure, education, health, and entrepreneurial development.

Key projects include the recently launched IGIRE program that has seen 300 Rwandan youth trained and certified in technical skills.

BANK

GURA CASH POWER BYIHUSE. Kanda *522#, Shyiramu umubare wibanga, Hitamo 3, ukurikize amabwiriza.

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Serena Hotels in Rwanda support vulnerable families affected by coronavirus

SERENA HOTELS | HOSPITALITY

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n response to the effects of coronavirus which is ravaging the world and severely stomping the global economy, Kigali Serena Hotel has donated 4.5 tons of food including rice, maize flour and beans as well as 450 liters of cooking oil, all worth Rwf 5 million.

The initiative was thought of in a bid to support the government of Rwanda response to the pandemic through financially supporting vulnerable families.

With school closures, shutdowns of nonessential businesses and escalated unemployment brought about by the outbreak of the virus and which led to sudden loss in income, many families across Rwanda found themselves with no means to meet the most basic needs including food.

Daniel Sambai, Kigali Serena Hotel General Manager said that the coronavirus pandemic greatly affected all sectors of the economy in Rwanda but mostly disadvantaged families that relied on daily income to survive.

“We want to stand in solidarity with the government of Rwanda and look after vulnerable communities in light of the coronavirus epidemic. We initially targeted 150 families that are unable to access basic needs due to imposed guidelines to counter the virus.

“We are agile and adaptive, supporting the growing needs of the communities we serve,” Sambai adds.

Emmanuel Rutsubuka, Kanyinya Sector Executive Secretary said that the donation was provided to vulnerable families in Nyarugenge district, Kanyinya sector, Taba cell.

“The donated food items will be allocated to vulnerable families including military veterans, survivors of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi and Rwandan citizens who were deported from Tanzania.”

Each family will receive 10 kilograms of rice, 10 kilograms of maize flour, 10 kilograms of beans and 3 liters of cooking oil.

The donation complements the Government of Rwanda latest efforts to counter the effects of the 18 HM www,hope-mag.com

pandemic through food donations during lockdown. Based on Ubudehe categories, vulnerable families across Rwanda received food including maize flour, beans, cooking oil, rice, salt, and sugar and soap.

Apart from Kanyinya sector, Kigali Serena Hotel has also donated food to vulnerable families in Rubavu District.

The donation was coordinated and delivered to Rubavu District offices by Kivu Serena General Manager, Duncan Lewa earlier last week.

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Cogebanque PLC donates RWF 100 Million relief funds to the Government of Rwanda to Support National Efforts of combating COVID-19 In view of the extraordinary challenges of COVID 19 pandemic, Cogebanque PLC fraternity will contribute part of their remuneration to the Government’s COVID 19 social protection programmes.

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ogebanque Management will make available a sum of RWF 100 million to be handed over to the Government as it continues to oversee relief efforts for families most affected by the ongoing crisis.

COGEBANK | BANKING

As we continue to work together as a community to curb the spread of the virus, Cogebanque will continue to devote all necessary resources to ensure our client’s personal safety, and that the community at large, while also maintaining all the services that our customers count on.

We would also like to encourage all our clients, partners as well as the general public to continue using e– banking channels such as our mobile application Coge mBank, USSD solution *505#, Internet banking and Cogebanque Cards whenever they are in need of banking services.

ABOUT COGEBANQUE Cogebanque Plc (Compagnie Générale de Banque ) is a commercial bank approved by the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR) since 1999.

Cogebanque is a proudly “Made in Rwanda” commercial bank, with over 20 years of delivering high quality products, services and financial solutions to the Corporate, SME and Consumer segments, through our 28 branches, over 600 agents, MasterCards (Debit, Prepaid & Credit), smart cash card, Points of Presence and e-Channels across the country.

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COGEBANK | BUSINESS

HOPEMAGAZINE MAGAZINE HOPE

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SP RWANDA | BUSINESS

COVID-19: SP Limited donates 10,000 liters of fuel to SAMU, RNP

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n a bid to lend a hand to the Government of Rwanda in curbing the spread of COVID-19 and addressing the healthcare challenges during this crisis, Société Petrolière Limited (SP Ltd) has donated 5000 Litres of Fuel to the Urgent Medical Aid Service (SAMU), a subsidiary of the Ministry of Health and 5000 Litres to Rwanda National Police (RNP).

Speaking on the gesture, Claudien HABIMANA, SP Limited. Managing Director revealed the donation aligns with ongoing efforts to support the Government of Rwanda to contain the spread of Coronavirus.

“During these critical times, our health care providers and security institutions such as Rwanda National Police need all the support available to combat COVID-19 and successfully mitigate the virus. We will keep lending hand to the Government of Rwanda to address health care challenges during this crisis,” he said.

SP Ltd has 1 fuel depot, 50 retail sites and 5 LPG skid filling stations operating across the country which contribute immensely to ensuring reliable supply of petroleum products and LPG in Rwanda.

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To prevent further spread of Coronavirus, SP Ltd accepts digital payment methods at all its petrol service stations including Visa Cards, MTN Mobile Money and SP fuel electronic card.

SP Ltd advises all Rwandans to abide by the Ministry of Health directives to prevent the spread of coronavirus by: avoiding unnecessary movements out of home, washing hands, practicing social distancing, calling 114 for medical assistance in case you have developed symptoms of Coronavirus including cough, shallow breathing or fever.

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Airtel Rwanda donates Rwf 135 million in support of national efforts of combating COVID-19 at home to continue learning at distance with no need of a bundle of internet.

AIRTEL RWANDA | BUSINESS

In recent weeks, an additional 5 private universities e-learning modules were zero rate on the Airtel Network.

THESE INCLUDE: INES, UOK, ITAB, CHUR, KP AND AUCA. Airtel Money Fees – Airtel made Free person to person money transfer free to support social distancing and foster the use of digital payments among communities,

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irtel Rwanda today delivered its contribution of One Hundred and Thirty-Five Million Rwandan Francs (135,000,000 RWF) to the Ministry of Health. The donation will support The Government of Rwanda in its efforts to combat COVID-19.

Airtel Rwanda recognizes the plight that is affecting frontline health workers, and wished to extend its support in battling against COVID-19.

While presenting the contribution to Honorable Minister of Health,Amit Chawla, Managing Director, Airtel Rwanda expressed “Today, we are grateful for the opportunity to present our donation and be part of the national efforts to combat the COVID-19. This contribution is a token of our gratitude towards the role played by the Frontline workers who are executing the

Free SMS Service- to allow families and friends to remain in touch.

Governments effort to end the Global pandemic” In the same note, Hon. Dr Daniel Ngamije, Minister of Health said “We are thankful for the support from Airtel Rwanda. This is a good sign of solidarity and humanity from Airtel staff and it will help to support our national COVID-19 response plan. We will continue partnership and collaboration for the good of our people”.

Airtel has already taken several steps to help mitigate the impact of social distancing on its customers during the coronavirus outbreak. These include …

Toll free line 114Airtel subscribers can call. Free of charge to get prevention tips and information on the COVID-19.

Free access to Education Sites: E-learning platforms under REB and HEC were zero-rated to allow students 24 HM www,hope-mag.com

ABOUT AIRTEL AFRICA Airtel Africa (LSE: AAF; NSE: AIRTEL AFRI) is a leading provider of telecommunications and mobile money services, with a presence in 14 countries in Africa, primarily in East, Central and West Africa. Airtel Africa offers an integrated suite of telecommunications solutions to its subscribers, including mobile voice and data services as well as mobile money services both nationally and internationally. The Group aims to continue providing a simple and intuitive customer experience through streamlined customer journeys.

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BPR | BUSINESS

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Banki Yawe. Ejo Heza.

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Vivo Energy Rwanda, Engen Licensee donates 5,000 liters of fuel to Emergency Medical Care Services COVID-19 outbreak, it is extremely important to follow all preventive measures as issued by the Ministry of Health and World Health Organization.

As the Government of Rwanda and Ministry of Health continue to take on the herculean task of fighting the global, health pandemic, “Coronavirus”, Vivo Energy Rwanda handed over Five (5) Million Rwandan Francs worth of fuel to support movements of Health Care services throughout this difficult period.

C

OVID-19 is disrupting the daily lives of many people around the world and in Rwanda. With a vision of putting Health, Safety, Security and Environment first, Vivo Energy Rwanda has taken — and will continue to take — the steps needed to support the Government of Rwanda to deal with this exceptional health crisis.

and we will ensure we keep doing our part to keep the country safe and the economy prospering,” said Sarah Doukoure, Managing Director of Vivo Energy Rwanda (Engen Licensee). “We call upon other institutions to join us and contribute to emergency medical care services as we keep fighting to keep our people healthy and out of hospitals.”

“We stand in solidarity with the Government and the people of Rwanda

Vivo Energy Rwanda would like to remind everyone that in light of www,hope-mag.com HM 29

•

Washing hands frequently with an alcohol-based rub or with soap and water;

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Covering your nose and mouth with a bent elbow or tissue when you sneeze or cough;

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Avoiding touching your face;

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Maintaining a physical distance of at least 1 metre from others;

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Staying at home if you feel unwell.

Anyone showing key symptoms of COVID-19; dry cough, shortness of breath or fever should immediately call the government instituted toll free number 114 or dial *114# for COVID-19 self-screening.

Vivo Energy Rwanda will continue to support national and local efforts in order to limit the socioeconomic consequences of this pandemic and ultimately promote economic recovery.

Vivo Energy Rwanda would like to remind everyone that in light of COVID-19 outbreak, it is extremely important to follow all preventive measures as issued by the Ministry of Health and World Health Organization.

ENGEN | BUSINESS

THESE INCLUDE;

COVID-19 is still here Stay safe and protect others.

Wash

your hands frequently with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based sanitiser

Cover

your mouth and nose with elbow or tissue when coughing or sneezing. Dispose tissue in designated bin and wash your hands after.

Distance

of 1-2 meters must be kept from each other. Avoid crowds

Clean

and disinfect objects and surfaces that are touched frequently

Isolate

as soon as you identify signs and symptoms, call 114 for help

Work

from home if possible.

Manage as much of your work remotely as possible

Masks

should properly cover your mouth and nose every time you are in public places.

Reduce

paperwork and cash transactions as much as possible

Stop shaking hands and touching surfaces or objects, use gloves if necessary and remember to wash your hands frequently

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BRALIRWA PLC donates disinfectant supplies to contain the spread of COVID-19 instituted regulations aimed at encouraging people to protect themselves and others against COVID-19.

BRALIRWA | BUSINESS

Cleaning hands frequently and thoroughly, using alcohol-based hand sanitizer or washing hands with soap and water is among recommended measures, the others being social distancing, seeking medical attention for supposedly Coronavirus symptoms and respecting health officials’ directives as well.

Bralirwa’s recent donation is a great contribution as the country strives to cope with Covid-19 effects and prevent its spread.

It also aligns with existing social corporate responsibilities where Bralirwa has been supporting education, health, disaster affected residents and environment protection.

B

RALIRWA PLC, Rwanda’s largest beverage company has contributed to the ongoing response to Covid-19 pandemic with desinfectant supplies including ethyl alcohol based hand sanitizers, surface spray, hand and backpack sprayers which will be used by the Ministry of Health in treatment facilities and isolation centers.

As a way of thanking the efforts of frontliners work during the lockdown, BRALIRWA PLC also donated an assortment of its soft drink products.

COVID-19 has affected the world in different aspects of life, hence necessitating concerted efforts towards preventing new cases, recover the economy and bring back the situation to normal.

The Government of Rwanda imposed a lockdown in March 2020 that extended for some days after confirmation of the first case of COVID-19. The closure affected businesses and individuals leaving them into economic slowdown.

As part of ongoing efforts to curb the spread the virus globally, the World Health Organization (WHO)

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The beverage manufacturer has severally been recognized nationally as the leader in implementing CSR initiatives that strongly impact lives of most in need communities and the economy.

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Coronavirus: Bank of Kigali offers three-month moratorium, donates Rwf 282 M to COVID-19 Solidarity Fund Customers are requested to call their Relationship Managers or Branch Business Managers for any assistance needed from the bank during this crisis.

THE COMMUNITY

“To support families struggling in this crisis, BK Management will avail Rwf 282,000,000 to Government for purchasing food and other basic necessities for distribution to vulnerable families that are affected by the pandemic.

As the world grapples with the direct medical and extended economic effects of COVID-19 pandemic, Bank of Kigali has announced a moratorium for its customers to enable them make necessary business adjustments and keep afloat.

I

n order to facilitate the Bank’s customers to build their cash flows and ensure they continue making progress in their endeavors, BK has offered a grace period on principal and/ or interest for up to 3 months to all Corporate and Retail clients affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

Bank of Kigali’s Chief Executive Officer Dr. Diane Karusisi said that this step is meant to overcome financial difficulties occasioned by the coronavirus

outbreak and reduce the strain on small businesses and individuals with an income flow that was also negatively affected.

“To our customers who want to continue servicing their facilities, the Bank will waive all late payment penalties on all Term loans (loans with monthly instalments), including BKquick loans as well Credit card penalties for the months of March, April and May 2019,” Karusisi explained.

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“In these challenging and uncertain times, the wellbeing of our communities remains our utmost priority. We will continue to provide banking services preferably through digital channels and are committed to doing our part to ensure everyone’s safety and comfort.

At Bank of Kigali, we are confident that together we will weather the COVID-19 storm, and we stand ready to support speedy economic recovery in Rwanda,” promised Bank of Kigali’s CEO. In Rwanda, a lockdown was announced in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus, restricting movement and visits outside homes, except for essential services such as healthcare, food shopping, or banking services. This, in the process, has affected businesses’ and economic performance.

Such mitigation measures as provided by BK will help a number of businesses keep afloat.

BANK OF KIGALI | BANKING

In addition, Bank of Kigali’s Management will also contribute to the COVID-19 Solidarity Fund.

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YEGO DELIVERY - the quickest way to deliver goods & services in Kigali The Delivery charges are calculated automatically based on the distance from the Merchant to the Customer.

CASHLESS PAYMENTS:

YEGO MOTO | COMMUNICATION

Customers can pay with Airtel Money, MTN Mobile Money, MTN Tap & Pay, or Yegomoto Ride-Tap-Pay NFC tags.

Since we insist on cashless payments and support a range of methods, you don’t have to worry about having exact change or risk contracting COVID-19 by handling cash. We wholeheartedly support Rwanda’s Vision to become a cashless economy.

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n the wake of COVID-19, businesses large and small have been impacted, but the unorganized sectors have been hit especially hard. Approximately 99% of Moto Drivers are out of jobs, as they cannot carry Passengers while maintaining a safe distance. Meanwhile, the demand for home delivery has grown exponentially, since residents have to stay at home and limit their movements.

In order to support Moto Drivers, YEGO began training them for Delivery as soon as the Lockdown was announced. The focus of the training was on teaching Drivers how to stay safe, maintain a safe distance while delivering, and how to practice proper hygiene at all times.

Therefore, we have implemented a cashless, no-contact delivery process to protect the health and safety of our Customers, Drivers, and Merchants.

All our drivers wear masks and use sanitizers before handing over goods.

We currently have a fleet of 50+ Motos for Delivery in Kigali, all of whom are equipped with ICFMs (Intelligent Connected Fare Meters). Getting delivery boxes has been a big challenge but we hope that, in the coming months, our fleet will expand to 1000 Motos.

After completing our roll-out in Kigali, we plan to roll out the service to other cities in Rwanda.

YEGO’s aim is to address a much larger demographic and to enable them to enjoy the online shopping experience.

We have already partnered with over 60 merchants including Restaurants, Groceries, Supermarkets and

Pharmacies. We intend to support all SMEs and independent contractors offering different good and services.

Although our mobile App and website are under development, financial inclusivity has always been a core value at YEGO. Today, with a simple feature phone you can place and pay for your order; one doesn’t even need to be connected to the internet!

HOW IT WORKS: Simply call a merchant, place your order and pay, and say “I want Yego to deliver my order”. The Merchant provides YEGO with your phone number. Our Agent calls you, confirms your delivery location, and your order is delivered in 60 minutes or less!

“We have been testing our service for over a month and have seen that most orders are delivered within 35 minutes!

Moreover, since our drivers deliver only one order at a time (orders are not clubbed), this means your food order arrives warm and fresh. Our Drivers benefit as they get more rides and a chance to earn a fair living.”

3 SIMPLE STEPS FOR MERCHANTS: • • • •

A Customer calls the Merchant, places an order, and pays via Mobile Money.

The Merchant sends the customer’s phone number to Yego’s WhatsApp. A Yego Driver picks the order and delivers it to the Customer.

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While Rwanda has done a stellar job of limiting the spread of COVID-19, it seems that social distancing will be the “new normal”. We will change the way we eat, access goods & services and even socialize.

YEGO aims to create a delivery ecosystem that benefits the community by safely delivering meals, groceries, medicines etc., by our trained drivers.

Supporting the delivery ecosystem benefits local vendors and customers while also helping our Moto Drivers feed their families.

YEGO reiterates its commitment to the national economic strategy on augmenting cashless transactions, enhancing safety and security, driving financial inclusion, creating employment and facilitating digital literacy to benefit all Rwandans.

ABOUT YEGO INNOVISION LTD./ YEGOMOTO: Yego Innovision Ltd. is an ICT solutions company based in Kigali. We are focused on bringing relevant smart mobility and payment solutions that will foster e-Commerce and generate employment across Africa.

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GORILLA LOGISTICS | BUSINESS

ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES IN TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS.

Sea Freight

Global Air Services

Cross-Border and Inland

1st floor, Aigle Blanc Building, KN 05 Airport Road, Kimuhura.

P. O. Box 7010, Kigali - Rwanda. Tel: +250 785 510 003/ 788 307 556 info@gorilla.rw | www.gorilla.rw www,hope-mag.com HM 41

Logistics

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World Bank Supports Rwanda’s COVID-19 Response

T

he World Bank Group on 7th April 2020 –approved today $14.25 million International Development Association (IDA)* credit in immediate funding to support Rwanda’s response to the global COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic under a new operation, the Rwanda COVID-19 Emergency Response project.

The project is designed to help the government prevent, detect and respond to the threat posed by the coronavirus and strengthen national systems for public health preparedness. It will support the COVID-19 National Preparedness and Response Plan by financing critical interventions, such as prompt diagnosis of suspected coronavirus cases; contact tracing to minimize risk of transmission; risk assessments to identify hot spot areas; and screening travelers at ports of entry. The emergency project will also bolster clinical care capacity and establish isolation capacity at a selected number of national and district hospitals responsible for triaging and treating COVID-19 cases.

“As we commemorate 26 years since the genocide and pay our respect to those who lost their lives, we note that the country is now hard hit by the COVID-19 global

pandemic which runs the risk of reversing some of Rwanda’s hard won socioeconomic and health achievements,“ says Yasser El Gammal, World Bank Country Manager for Rwanda. “I am confident that with the high-level leadership, the resilience of the Rwandans swift action taken by the government, and support of the World Bank and other development partners, Rwanda can bend the curve on this pandemic and get back on track.”

The Rwanda COVID-19 Emergency Response project also focuses on harnessing digital solutions and data analytical tools that will improve the management and containment of the COVID-19 response. Building on the country’s strong track record on digital solutions, several innovations will be explored, including digital maps that allow to visualize the spread of the disease in real time; mobile apps for sending health messages; and telemedicine capability to allow for suspected cases to be assessed without the need for physical movements by patients.

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The Rwanda COVID-19 Emergency project is part of the World Bank Group $14 billion fast-track package to strengthen the COVID-19 response in developing countries and shorten the time to recovery.

The immediate response includes financing, policy advice and technical assistance to help countries cope with the health and economic impacts of the pandemic. The International Finance Corporation is providing $8 billion in financing to help private companies affected by the pandemic and preserve jobs. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Development Association are making an initial $6 billion available for the health-response. As countries need broader support, the World Bank Group will deploy up to $160 billion over 15 months to protect the poor and vulnerable, support businesses, and bolster economic recovery. * The World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), established in 1960, helps the world’s poorest countries by providing grants and low to zero-interest loans for projects and programs that boost economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve poor people’s lives. IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world’s 76 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa. Resources from IDA bring positive change to the 1.6 billion people who live in IDA countries. Since 1960, IDA has supported development work in 113 countries. Annual commitments have averaged about $21 billion over the last three years, with about 61 percent going to Africa.

WORLD BANK | FINANCE

associated with disease outbreaks. As we have learned from past outbreaks, rapid containment, prompt and efficient diagnosis and treatment of patients; and community involvement are critical,” noted Miriam Schneidman, Lead Health Specialist and Task Team Leader at the World Bank.

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