RUTSIRO: 1000 families given free smartphones under Connect Rwanda initiative

1000 homes in Rutsiro District of the Western Province have been given Smartphones to help them with gathering relevant information online to help with their farming activities and accelerate development.

Officials from the Ministry of ICT and Innovation say the Phones can also be used to fight crime, especially when it comes to the smuggling of precious stones.

The local residents were only too happy to receive the Phones, that they would have otherwise been unable to afford. 

Jean-Marie Vianney Rukundo, a resident of Rutsiro District said; "I am very happy to get this phone and it is going to help me when it comes to agriculture. We had no way of joining Smart Nkunganire, or getting information on which fertilizers to buy. It was hard. I will now be able to do all that on my phone sitting at home. I am very pleased about that," 

Ester Imanishimwe, another Rutsiro resident said; "This phone they have given me is worth far more money than I could ever get, and now i will be able to go on to Facebook and other Social Media Sites to get news," 

The drive to distribute the Phones to every home in the country is part of the Connect Rwanda Challenge and officials in the Ministry of ICT and Innovation are urging beneficiaries to put them to good use and use them to communicate important information to the relevant authorities.

Paula Ingabire, Minister of ICT and Innovation said; "Especially in places like this, in Rutsiro where there is mining, fishing, and agriculture; but focusing on mining; even local leaders here are always urging them to share information when they see any illegal activities because doing so helps the District to develop faster when people keep out an eye for such things." 

The Minister said they have received more than 43,000 Smartphones as part of the Challenge, which is looking to supply phones to 2.8 Million families in the country because currently, only 4 per cent of all households own Smartphones.