Tigo Rwanda has today unveiled the very first SMART
Village project in Tumba Sector, Rulindo District, Northern Province in
partnership with the Ministry of Youth and ICT as well as RwandaOnline, Mobisol,
Sheecom and the local area Umurenge Sacco.
The key components of the SMART Village project, as
described by the SMART Rwanda Master Plan (2015- 2020) are Internet access for
all, digital literacy, financial inclusion and job creation related to ICT.
Commenting on the project, CEO of Tigo Rwanda Tongai
Maramba said: As leaders in technology, we are called to promote and
facilitate access to the Internet and recognize the global and open nature of
the Internet as a driving force in accelerating progress towards development in
its various forms."
In the Phase One of the project, Tigo has provided 3G
Internet geographical coverage of the Tumba Sector that will benefit the three
12-years Basic Education institutions, a local technical college, several small
area trading centers, Sector offices, health centers and security offices.
In addition to providing access to 3G internet, Tigo has
entered into a partnership with Urwego Opportunity Bank and the local Umurenge
SACCO to provide subsidized smartphones and ensure the integration of mobile
financial services in the community.
Alongside RwandaOnline, Tigo will deliver ICT skills
through a local ICT training Centre as well as support Code Clubs in schools.
Phase Two of the project will see a dedicated Internet
link for Government Offices, Schools and Public Wi-Fi access in Schools and
solar powered phone charging stations established as well as shops where
smartphones can be purchased.
The SMART Rwanda initative is about powering Rwanda’s
socio economic transformation towards a knowledge based economy. The first principle
within the master plan is establishing a (SMART) Service-oriented Modern,
Accountable and Real-Time (SMART) Government that drives Rwanda’s global
competitiveness and job creation.
According to the Ministry of Youth and ICT, SMART Rwanda
aims to help Rwanda achieve its ICT for Development Vision, one village at a
time. Rwanda has defined ten sectors where it believes structured deployment of
ICTs can have maximum impact. These are SMART Education, SMART Healthcare,
SMART Governance, SMART Business, SMART Agriculture, SMART Environment, SMART
Job Creation, SMART Infrastructure, SMART Girls and SMART Cities.
About Tigo Rwanda
Tigo Rwanda is owned by Millicom, a leading telecommunications
and media company uniquely dedicated to emerging markets in Latin America and
Africa. It provides mobile, mobile financial, cable and satellite services to
over 60 million customers in fourteen countries, primarily under the Tigo
brand. Tigo has been operating in Africa since 1993, in Rwanda since 2009, and
serves over 26 million customers in Africa.
Currently, Tigo Rwanda has over three
million customers and has invested over US $310 million from 2009 to
date. Tigo Rwanda is the only telecom to provide 4G LTE on mobile
for both prepaid and post-paid customers. Tigo Rwanda was awarded as the
‘Most Innovative Service’ at Africa Com 2014, for international mobile money
transfers with integrated currency conversion between Tigo Rwanda and Tigo Tanzania
as well as awarded for “Best ICT Exhibitor” at the Kigali Expo 2015.
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