The Rwandan Government had to set up measures and postponed the classes. Students had to return home and adapt to a new e-learning system.
Covid-19 has had a significant impact on the education sector, including disrupting the normal schedule in this area. In search of answers, some schools have introduced a new online-based learning method. The process is slow and still facing some challenges.
In light of the reopening of schools and universities, leaders in the Education sector will gather at the Leaders Roundtable to discuss the Education in the New Normal. The program is organized by Kora Coaching Group (KORA) together with IGIHE
and the University of Rwanda.
The purpose of the event hosted as a Live Stream this Friday 9th of October at 14:0 is to inform and ensure that no one is left behind through EdTech.
The #LeadersRoundTableSeries is a monthly live discussion organized by KORA. This platform is mainly aimed at educating and advising leaders in Rwanda, Africa and the world on how to solve certain issues that affect communities around the world.
Among the panelists are the Vice Chancellor of the University of Rwanda, Prof. Phillip Cotton and the former VP of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), Dr. Youssef Travaly, who’s currently Executive Chairman of AllSightsAfrica.
KORA Coaching Group (KORA) is a pan African company with operations in Rwanda and South Africa. KORA provides bespoke coaching and consulting services to clients around the globe.
Its subsidiary, Kora Coaching & Business Academy (KCA) is the first Rwandan Coaching Academy, which provides Global Coach Training Certification Programs in Executive & Leadership Coaching as well as Life Coaching.
Certified Professional Coaches graduating are Business Leaders who serve Rwanda and export their expertise to Africa and the rest of the world.
Hence putting Rwanda on the map of the Global Coaching Industry. For more information, please visit www.kora-coaching.com
Oluseun Onasoga, Executive Director of Business Development at Access Bank Rwanda, explained to IGIHE that Access Bank is committed to its customers and this was reinforced due to one of the Bank’s core values – {{passion for customers }}
“We recognize that the customer is “King” and our processes, actions are created with the intent of ensuring the customers experience at every of our touch points are not only exceptional but seamless, stress-free and professionally engaging. Our vision, mission and core values are built around making a positive impact to our customers – first and also the market we operate in.” says Oluseun
The Bank has been in the market for about a decade plus. In our drive to be a better team player to our customers, The Bank increased its equity which is targeted at ensuring we are able to deliver bespoke financial and digital solutions to our customers ensuring that our customers see us not only as a Bank but a “team player” a financial partner, an institution built to be more than banking…
This year’s theme, ‘Dream Team’ highlights the importance of teamwork in providing outstanding service to all customers. This theme is more so relevant for us having invested substantially in digital solutions and process upgrade, to project our customers as the most important part of the Access Team and to ensure that the way we think and behave is entirely to our customers’ benefit.
There will be different activities expected to take place in the Customer Service Week, including meeting with customers in one-on-one sessions, using social media and reaching out to them in different ways, and exciting surprises.
Oluseun also mentioned that beyond this week, the Bank still has plans to celebrate its customers through the launch of some of our digital solutions that will affirm our commitment to be a team player to the customer.
While the world is grappling with Covid-19 impacts, Access Bank Rwanda has made its efforts to understand the difficulties their customers are navigating through, and so they “provided them with financial guidance they needed in this difficult time”.
This was done during our extensive – Executive Outreach Engagement which was done in Q2-2020. Such guidance was crucial to customers who were pondering which move to take next, as the pandemic shut down any door for future predictions.
The bank has also intensified its remote connectivity platform with its customers through investing in digital financial solutions, which enable customers to access their Bank easily and conveniently conduct their financial transactions.
Access Bank Rwanda is part of Access Bank Group, which has presence in 12 different countries across Africa and beyond including: Nigeria, Ghana, Zambia, The Gambia, DR Congo, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, Kenya, Lebanon, UAE, China and United Kingdom making it one of the biggest financial institutions on the continent.
“Let’s take a moment to appreciate our teachers, especially in this challenging time. Students and parents recognize your indispensable service, now more than ever,” the President said.
He added: “Let’s work together to reopen our classrooms safely and get back to learning.”
Last week, the Ministry of Education announced that effective this month, schools will begin gradual reopening, having been closed since March, after the first case of Covid-19 was registered in the country.
The reopening will start with universities and will gradually get to other sections.
The dialogue brought together over 112 participants including government institutions, Non-governmental Organizations, Community Based Organizations, Development Partners, academicians, members of the private sector and media.
The dialogue was based on an independent rapid assessment undertaken between June and July 2020 in eight district of Rwanda (Nyagatare, Kirehe, Musanze, Gakenke, Rulindo, Kamonyi, Muhanga, and Nyamagabe) and surveyed farmers and enterprises dealing with 22 various horticulture crops.
Speaking today during the policy dialogue, Dr Charles Ruranga, EPRN’s Chairperson of Board of Directors said: ‘’We are joining Oxfam to reiterate the need for action to be taken now by all actors including the
Private sector, as any delay only serves to worsen the already fragile situation of those affected by this global pandemic, and make the recovery process more expensive.’’
Oxfam in Rwanda Country Director, Mrs. Alice Anukur added: “This rapid assessment’s main objective was to collect scientific facts and evidence of the issues faced by horticulture value chains’ stakeholders as they battle the difficult effects of the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. We hope that such dialogue will multiply in various platforms, as we all seek to provide strong recommendations to various entities for policy programming interventions to support many smallholder farmers’ families who are among those who have been mostly affected by this global pandemic.’’
COVID-19 pandemic is bringing not only global health risks, but also unprecedented economic damages and agriculture is among the affected sectors.
Prior to COVID-19, Rwandan horticulture sub-sector was playing a crucial role in the country’s economy and it contributed about 50% of non-traditional export revenues and provided income to hundreds of thousands of smallholder farmers.
Fruits and vegetables covered an estimated 1.18% and 0.47% of the aggregate land occupied by all crops in Season A 2020 compared to 1.14% and 0.63% and 6.0% of the previous Season A 2019 (NISR, 2018).
However, the sub-sector is still dominated by smallholder farmers with per capita land size of 0.6 ha; weak market linkages to agribusinesses, limited and non-competitive input providers, processors, and traders.
Similarly, weak market- oriented production and aggregation, low value chain development and market connectivity constitute some of the major constraints that the government continues to address. Additionally, women who are outnumbering men in horticultural organizations by significant margin of 56.5% to 44.5% are yet to profit from the benefit of the sub-sector.
The Oxfam study and today’s dialogue have highlighted recovery pathways while acknowledging Rwanda’s efforts already undertaken including budget allocation to Agriculture sector in the recovery plan, providing safety nets (food distribution) as part of social protection, making essential the Agriculture services during the lockdown, innovations around e-commerce, supporting local exporters by negotiating subsidized (40%) price for transportation with RwandAir, supporting farmers in aggregating, making markets attractive to foreign investors and dealing with pre-COVID-19 existing challenges like availing agricultural inputs.
The dialogue was enriched by panelists from key institutions and diverse participants from the sector with recommendations and lessons learned including strengthening coordination, information sharing, sustaining dialogue, better targeted response that is informed by deeper gender analysis and effective involvement of private sector.
Oxfam and EPRN highly recommend that that COVID-19 response must target those in most need who are least able to cope with the shocks caused by the pandemic.
The effects of this pandemic have worsened an already delicate sub-sector which was supposed to benefit many women and contribute significantly to reducing poverty and food insecurity in many rural areas of Rwanda.
If decisions are not implemented faster and support provided soon to smallholder farmers and other horticulture value chain actors to respond to the impacts of COVID-19, the situation could become irreversible or remain for much longer and become more expensive to remedy.
A team of five EJVM members was received and briefed by Maj Alexis Nkuranga, the RDF 1 Infantry Battalion Commanding Officer on how RED Tabara’s combatants were apprehended. He told them that RED Tabara combatants on 29 October 2020 at 10 am, crossed Burundian border in Nyungwe forest and fell in an ambush of 1 Inf Bn soldiers where all were immediately arrested, disarmed and escorted to rear areas for further investigations.
Col Rigobert Ibouanga, the EJVM team leader, on his part informed the media that their mission was to verify and report back to EJVM Command on the cross-border incident.
“Our mission here today is to investigate the incident and thereafter we will submit the report on 7 October 2020 to the EJVM Hierarchy”, the team leader disclosed.
He also said that the cross-border incident shall be discussed during the next International Conference on the Great Lakes Region Chiefs of Defence Staff meeting.
Nkurunziza Egide, the Commander of the captured RED Tabara Combatants told the media that they infiltrated into Burundi from South Kivu DRC via Lake Tanganyika on 23 August 2020 and since then they were fighting against Burundi Defence Forces and Imbonerakure militias. He narrated how on 29 September 2020, were arrested by the RDF after found themselves on the Rwandan territory.
The Commander responded that since they were not familiar with terrain, they didn’t recognise whether they had crossed into Rwanda and consequently, they fell into an ambush laid by RDF troops along Rwanda-Burundi border in Nyungwe forest.
CATCHYZ Ltd is launching the first and largest classified online marketplace in Rwanda, ([www.catchyz.com->https://blog.catchyz.com/]) where buyers and sellers can connect with absolutely no commission.
{{What is CATCHYZ?}}
CATCHYZ Ltd is a Rwanda-based company that will be operating all over East Africa, where anybody from the region can consult the application for FREE.
CATCHYZ can be used in Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, the Republic of Congo and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). With an ability to automatically translate into any of the five languages you use on your phone. CATCHYZ targets to make buying and selling much easier; the languages being, Kinyarwanda, English, French, Swahili and Lingala.
CATCHYZ has your best needs at heart. You are able to search whatsoever you want and you will find it. On the other hand, you will be able to sell absolutely anything you want to for FREE.
CATCHYZ has different categories and sub-categories for all businesses which leaves nobody out. The sections are, but not limited to; vehicles, electronics & appliances, mobile phones, real estate, women’s fashion, men’s fashion, home & garden, job seekers& services, books, sports & music, agribusiness & food, business & industrial, pets, babies & kids.
To find the shop you want, you can search for a location and get the items you need easily. You can start your own online business as well on CATCHYZ for FREE.
For example;
If you have old things you don’t use anymore, you don’t have to throw them away. Someone might want what you don’t want so you can, instead, sell through CATCHYZ for FREE.
CATCHYZ brings you services like tutors, transportation, cleaning, medical, home repair etc. Buy a car, house, phone, television etc. with absolutely no commission.
CATCHYZ Ltd aims to help the market, to simplify buying and selling by giving the buyer a wide variety of products and services. They can easily be accessed and also exposing the seller’s business to different people all over the country, who would eventually become potential customers. The goal is to connect the cities all over the country in business, with absolutely no commission.
{{Your account}}
You can easily manage your account by editing your personal information, name, number, email, change profile picture, password and modify the notification settings.
CATCHYZ offers different packages such as;
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• Silver; for businesses that would like to appear at the top.
• Gold; for those that would like to be seen frequently by everyone.
Once you have a shop, you can view your followers and following, where you will know which customers are really interested in your products or services and will also be able to post your items yourself which is all completely FREE. You can also add an admin or employee to help you moderate your shop.
CATCHYZ has made it easier for you to communicate and chat with your customer directly through chat, comments, reviews or questions. With these options, one can easily communicate with their customers and know how to improve their business.
As a client, you can now communicate with the seller to express your thoughts or directly to CATCHYZ account manager. We bring you a professional search box, simple access to chat, notifications, comments and statistics that aid in campaign.
{{Registration}}
You can register with CATCHYZ on either the website or the mobile applications for Android and iOS. Registration and browsing through the website can be done on your phone, computer or laptop by the use of web browsers such as: Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Etc. And the mobile application can be used on both Android and iOS, and will soon be available on Huawei Harmony OS.
Here’s a fun fact-:
CATCHYZ comes to you with offers you would not easily find elsewhere such as; giving out FREE Tecno Spark 5 (with five high quality cameras) to randomly selected registered winners. There will be 2 lucky winners every week. Register on CATCHYZ and get a chance of winning a brand new Tecno Spark 5.
Payment Options Available at CATCHYZ:
• Visa/MasterCard
• Mobile Money
• Money Transfer (Wire Transfer)
• Wallet
{{So why should you use CATCHYZ? }}
With the help of this remarkable online classifieds marketplace, you as a buyer, in the comfort of your own home, will able to access different shops not just in the city you are currently in, but all around the country.
The variety of products and services offered will give you access to shops you didn’t even know existed. It will allow you to reach more shops and choose what best suits you from the comfort of your own home.
Every business owner’s dream is to increase sales, which is why CATCHYZ is here especially for you. With businesses opening up every day, competition has spiked, with customers buying from what is nearest to them.
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CATCHYZ also brings you a blog ([blog.catchyz.com->https://blog.catchyz.com/]). CATCHYZ blog is here to give you relevant and useful information that you need in your day to day life. Not only is the blog adding to your knowledge but is also consistent. In addition, the blog provides you with a comment section where you will be able to share your thoughts on the articles and suggest on what else you’d like to read. You’ll also be able to like and share the articles on your social media.
Download CATCHYZ app from play store or apple store today or visit our website www.catchyz.com
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“They called me and told me that we were robbed. I lost a bag of rice to the said theft,” said Donatien, a trader from the market.
Another vendor, Uwineza Shadia also lost a sewing machine.
“They took my sewing machine, and customers’ clothes; we don’t know who did such a thing because yesterday as we left, we locked doors and the security personnel were on duty. It’s confusing. “She said.
Mururu Sector Executive Secretary Ingabire Joyeux told IGIHE that the robbery was well planned and confirmed that Rwanda investigation Bureau (RIB) had arrested two suspects.
“It was a well calculated plan; we opened a case file with RIB for more investigation. They have so far arrested two people, the security guards and the gate keeper; the two are under investigation and are now at the Kamembe RIB station.”
The Rusizi Border Market consists of locker-rooms but only 45 are occupied.
They were arrested separately following complaints by the Chinese firm–China Road and Bridge Corporation–which is constructing the road.
Two of the suspects; Thierry Sindikubwabo and Jean Claude Uwamahoro were arrested in Ziniya market in Kicukiro where rolls of electricity and broadband internet cables were recovered.
The third suspect only identified as Twagirimana was arrested in Gisozi market (Agakiriro) with other quantities of the utility cables.
The trio was paraded before the media at Remera metropolitan on Saturday, October 3.
It is said that the three suspects work with thieves, who unearth broadband cables and cut electricity cables, especially at night.
Their role was, therefore, to sell the cables on the black market, according to available information.
Twagirimana, one of the suspects, said that he has been buying the cables from different people in the last two weeks. He, however, declined to disclose the identities of his suppliers.
“I was not aware that these cables were stolen and I did not bother asking my suppliers, which I regret. I have had different suppliers in the past two weeks and I had a big metallic case where I was storing them as I look for buyers,” Twagirimana claimed.
Sindikubwabo, another suspect, however, argued that he bought the cables during public auctioning last year at Rwf1.8 million.
However, the papers he claim supports his argument and proves his innocence, are under the names of one Hassan Kabera.
The papers indicate that Kabera bought cables during auctioning, last year. The papers also indicate the types of cables that were bought during the auction.
However, Kabera later sold the said auctioned cables to Sindikubwabo.
In the sale agreement between Sindikubwabo and Kabera, the latter also provided photos of all the cables he sold to the former.
None of the cables Sindikubwabo was caught with corresponds with the photos provided by Kabera.
It is alleged that Sindikubwabo has been using the auction papers as cover up to deal in stolen cables.
The Chinese firm also confirmed that cables the trio was caught with are those vandalized and stolen from their connected broadband and electricity lines.
Rwanda National Police (RNP) spokesperson, CP John Bosco Kabera condemned such acts of destructing public infrastructure, thus affecting many.
He said that black markets facilitate such criminal acts adding that the arrest of the trio is part of the force’s target to also cut the chain of buyers and sellers.
“We know people call such items ‘hot cakes’ but we would like to remind the general public that anything bought must have receipts to indicate the source, prevent buying or selling stolen goods, and also to fight tax evasion,” CP Kabera said.
“When you vandalize such public infrastructure, you know many people get affected; internet and electricity are disconnected, certain services get affected and the government will incur losses in terms of rehabilitation,” he added.
He thanked residents, who provided information that led to the arrest of members of the ring and called upon anyone with more information on other members of the group to come forward.
The new cases were recorded on Sunday, including 12 from Kigali where they were tested in the worst-hit areas while in Burera and Rubavu, each recorded one case.
Since the first COVID-19 case was registered in Rwanda on March 14, 2020, 4866 confirmed cases have been detected from 504,670 sample test made so far. 3,216 are the recoveries while 1621 are still active cases; so far 29 people have succumbed to the pandemic.
As part of the ongoing monitoring of the status of the COVID-19 pandemic in Kigali City, the Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) on Sunday took sample tests from various people attending churches meetings across the city.
The churches where the testing were performed included Cathedral St Michel, EAR Remera and ERC Masoro where at least 400 sample tests were taken.
In a recent press conference, the Minister of Health, Dr. Ngamije Daniel, said that numbers of new infections were on the decline these days but that it did not mean the pandemic was coming to an end.
“This is a sign that people are reacting properly, following COVID-19 prevention guidelines. The numbers we have are impressive compared to what it was in August, but the battle is still on.” He said
So far, the Coronavirus has no cure or vaccine, the medical units only treat the symptoms of the pandemic allowing the human body to build a strong immunity system and hence eliminating the virus in the blood.
This was observed during the government press conference on Friday, October 2, which gave updates on the current situation as far as fighting COVID-19 and resumption of businesses in the country is concerned.
The press conference was held at Kigali Convention Centre (KCC) and brought together the ministries of Health, Local Government, Education, Trade and Industry as well as Rwanda National Police (RNP).
The Minister of Local Government, Prof. Anastase Shyaka said that violations in the past week reduced further by 25 percent compared to the previous week.
Minister Shyaka observed that harmonised working relations between governance, health and security sectors as well the public also led to increased sharing of information, identifying violators and informing immediate effective responses.
The minister further explained that washing facilities were installed in the over 130 big markets across the country and commended the role played by committees in small markets, which volunteered to oversee compliance.
“Do not fear penalties; fear the virus and comply with the safety directives,” Minister Shyaka said.
RNP spokesperson, CP John Bosco Kabera said that the implementation of the directives has mainly been through partnership with relevant government entities to influence positive behaviours and actions through education and awareness in the last six months.
“If it was training, we would now be in the phase of awarding certificates of merit to participants. What this means is that at this point, no Rwandan should be arrested or penalised for not adhering to the prevention directives maximally.
We are at the phase where we should not be seeing anyone wearing a facemask inappropriately; physical distancing should be a culture; 50 percent quota of passengers in public service vehicles should be a practice; washing hands and respecting the curfew should by now be a natural practice,” CP Kabera said
He added that although the vast majority of residents of Rwanda are compliant, there are still observed cases of violations such as social distancing in shopping malls, isolated cases of public transport not adhering to 50% quota in their vehicles; wearing of face mask especially in rural areas; cases of pedestrians and drivers violating curfew, speeding of motorists especially towards curfew hours resulting into accidents and cyclists not wearing recommended helmets
CP Kabera cautioned businesses that continue to operate contrary to the directives, citing restaurants and other hospitality facilities that devise violation tricks so as to operate their bar sections.
“Those who place plates on tables to appear as if they are eating so as to drink alcohol, those who serve alcoholic drinks in cups and thermo flask to make it look as if they are serving tea; those who have turned their homes into bars; we are aware of these tricks,” CP Kabera said.
While lauding the impact of youth volunteers in awareness and facilitating the Police in implementing the directives and overseeing compliance, CP Kabera said that RNP will continue to focus mainly on three aspects; working with responsive members of the public to make prevention practices a culture; education and awareness as well as arresting and penalising errant violators.
CP Kabera said that education and awareness will combine both safety against COVID-19 and preventing road accidents.
A total 678 road accidents were recorded in the past six month resulting into 283 fatalities, 395 serious injuries.
At least 195 accidents were caused by wrong maneuvers, 149 (speeding), 132 (reckless driving), 120 (violation of right of way and 82 caused by wrong overtaking).
“We cannot fight coronavirus and let people in Rwanda die in accidents, that’s why the awareness against the pandemic will now be combined with Gerayo Amahoro (arrive safe) road safety campaign,” CP Kabera said.
In the services still closed including driving schools and driver’s license test centres, CP Kabera explained that a committee was instituted to see how they can resume in compliance with the prevention measures.
