Residents of the two sectors have now started reaping benefits of electricity connections including use of electronics like television and radios; as well as starting small-scale business services that require electricity to operate, such as hairdressing and welding, creating off-farm jobs in the process, in line with government development aspirations enshrined in Vision 2020.
Jean de Dieu Hanyurwimfura, 23, resident of Karengera Sector, says that their sector was connected to on-grid system in July this year which motivated him to start a salon.
“When our area got connected, I started a salon, and I can now earn at least Rwf3000 per day,” enthuses Hanyurwimfura.
Another beneficiary, Alexis Manirabona, 35, now does welding in Gasayo Trading Centre. He says that a lot has changed in his job as prior to the on-grid power connection. Before it was expensive because they used a generator to power the machines.
He says a door which used to cost Rwf200,000 has been substantially reduced to Rwf150,000.
“We sometimes would solder the doors far away, in Nyamagabe or Kigali City and bring them on trucks; now we make them ourselves right here. This power came as a solution for us,” he says.
Other residents say their well-lit houses now means that they can do household chores even during night which was not the case before.
Numbers by Rwanda Energy Group (REG) Nyamasheke District’s Branch indicate that, of a total 80,000 households in the District, 28,400 households are connected toelectricity. REG says next year, 6146 households- from Mahembe Sector and other sectors still lagging behind in power connection- will also be connected.
The Rwandan Governemt has set as a goal that all Rwandans will have electricity by 2024. As of July 2018, REG statistics show that over 46.5% of the Rwandan population were already connected on either grid or off-grid power solutions.
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