Denis Opudo
Tigo Digital Changemakers which was organized in 2017 brought joy to three social entrepreneurs. Through their remarkable and innovative projects, Origene Igiraneza, Alain Patrick Irere Hirwa, and Bobson Rugambwa will be able to carry home Rwf8.2 million each. Apart from the financial gain, the three will also be allowed to attend the global networking and business training courtesy of Reach for Change incubators’ program.
Tigo Digital Changemakers is a program facilitated by Tigo Rwanda and Reach for Change, a local Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) which helps local social entrepreneurs. The award is aimed at giving support to the upcoming social entrepreneurs who have huge digital projects that help the community.
O’genius Priority was the platform which awarded Origene Igiraneza. The firm is renowned for its active involvement with students. As a result, 78% of Rwandan schools now can access practical skills via the digital lab. The lab motivates learners and inspires girls especially those with the aspiration to join the science and technology sector. The firm makes the subjects that were thought to be hard to become simpler by using real-life situations. At the same time, teachers can facilitate learning through online classes. This was the third time the founder was participating in the sixth edition of the competition.
MVend project, founded by Bobson Rugambwa, was the first runners-up in this year’s competition. The technology allows locals to save digitally, away from the traditional banking ways. The platform is majorly used by groups who are given the ability to save, borrow, pay bills, and transfer money electronically on their mobile phones. The technology has got a verification pin that makes the transactions secure.
Tubiganire TV was the second runners up in the competition. The platform helps parents in Rwanda to have a free talk with their children on sexual reproductive health matters. The firm was founded and run by Alain Patrick Irere Hirwa with the aim of reducing the rate of early pregnancy amongst the teens.
All the three Rwandan startups not only help the communities in solving issues but they also create job opportunities for the locals. The innovations also have exposed Rwanda to the outside world as an ideal place for tech innovations. They will eventually help in raising the economic standards of the country.
