NYAGATARE RESIDENTS urged TO EMBRACE THE USE OF ICT

Nyagatare residents during ICT literacy and awareness campaign 

The Minister of Youth and ICT, Jean Philbert Nsengimana has urged residents of Nyagatare district in Eastern Province to embrace and effectively use ICT in everything they do to boost their production.

The Minister said this on Thursday, May 30, 2013 during the 4th Edition of ICT Literacy and Awareness Campaign in Nyagatare district of Eastern Province, where thousands of residents gathered to see how they can use ICT in a productive and efficient manner.

Addressing Nyagatare residents, The Minister of Youth and ICT said that “In the last years people used to say that the profession is to cultivate and others come by chance, now the profession is the use of ICT… our future is the use of ICT. If you want to invest, invest in the ICT,” said that Minister

He added that “Our wealth is based on agriculture and ICT is one of the key pillars to achieve the country’s Vision 2020…our wealth will be based on the ICT. If you used to drink two banana wine bottles, take one and save to get the ICT facility.  ICT must be in whatever you do; in medicine we use ICT, now the bank cannot work without ICT…”

Minister Nsengimana with (spectacles) and Governor Uwamariya (lady at far right)

The Governor of Eastern Province, Odette Uwamariya told local residents to embrace technologies, in homes and work places to realize and maximize on their full potential.

Eric Munyawera, a resident of Rwimiyaga Sector stressed that he is now benefiting from the use of ICT because of using internet to communicate to his brothers living abroad.

He added that they started applying for some documents via an online platform. “Now we’re able to file cases electronically from anywhere as long as we are connected and this saves our time and transport,” he said.

The purpose of the campaign is to increase the awareness of using ICT and raise the ICT literacy by enabling the local community to have access to the existing technological devices and services. This will drive change and make more Rwandans utilize their investment in ICT in a productive and efficient manner.

To use and exploit existing ICT solutions to improve the life of rural community in a way shaped by the realities of the existing environment and needs by empowering them with access, information, choices and opportunities.

As part of the ongoing ICT literacy and awareness campaign, a two-day ICT exhibition was also opened in Rwimiyaga sector. The exhibition attracted telecommunication companies, banks and other financial institutions, public institutions and dealers in electronics, among others.

Rwanda has been on several occasions ranked among the most dynamic performers when it comes to ICT development globally.

Last year, the International Telecommunication Union report named Rwanda, Bahrain, Brazil, Ghana, Kenya, and Saudi Arabia as developing nations with strong dynamic ICT markets because of  catching up fast in efforts to bridge the ‘digital divide’.