On Thursday, December 08, 2022, MAGERWA Ltd invited various institutions and stakeholders to launch a broad campaign explaining how a person should stay safe and behave in the event of an accident.
The event was attended by Rwanda Red Cross, Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) through its blood donation department, and the Fire and Rescue Brigade under Rwanda National Police (RNP).
They all provided information about what can be done to help prevent accidents in the workplace and at home.
The campaign was officiated by the Executive Administrator of Kicukiro District, Solange Umutesi, and representatives from partner institutions including Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA), Rwanda Standards Board (RSB), Revenue Protection Department (RPD), importers, and exporters among others.
Themed ‘Target Zero Harm” the campaign aims to enlighten MAGERWA Ltd employees and warehouse users on ways to ensure safety and avoid accidents at MAGERWA business premises.
Health, Safety and Environment Executive at Magerwa Ltd, Cedric Gashugi said that they organized a campaign to prevent accidents in the company, and enhance the safety of employees at work
He explained that they usually have a briefing program for workers every morning before starting their daily work to remind them on how to prevent losses and accidents that could result from recklessness
“We have to look at every aspect that causes problems to prevent any accidents in our company. We are hiring different companies to educate the staff on this subject because we don’t want any accidents at MAGERWA Ltd,” said Gashugi.
The Executive Administrator of Kicukiro District, Solange Umutesi, thanked MAGERWA Ltd for extending these efforts to bring accidents’ prevention methods to employees’ attention noting that it is in line with the Government of Rwanda’s priorities to ensure people’s safety.
“The fact that a company like MAGERWA Ltd is thinking of doing these extensive activities is more than a campaign because it gives the country a good image for investors,” she said.
Mohd Yassin Bin Kabir, the CEO of MAGERWA Ltd, said they would do everything possible to promote the work that protects people’s lives and property at MAGERWA Ltd.
He emphasized that safety is of critical significance as MAGERWA is committed to creating a habit of excellence by ‘promoting safety culture in our daily work’.
During this campaign, employees, clients, and partners of MAGERWA Ltd voluntarily donated blood.
At the end of the session, the Rwanda National Police through the Fire Brigade conducted demonstration on how to extinguish fire. Participants were invited to get hands-on experience to put out fire using different techniques.
During a high level dialogue with strategic partners at the 10th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), held in Luanda, Angola from 6 to 10 December, the Secretary-General stated: “The Commonwealth and OACPS share 42 member countries, and through an MOU, we have enjoyed the closest of associations.
Amidst unprecedented challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, global economic decline, the conflict in Ukraine and the worsening climate crisis, the world has never needed our solidarity more.
If you want to know what solidarity looks like between Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific – and their friends – you only have to look at the fight for climate action.”
{{ Solidarity for climate action}}
She outlined how the Commonwealth, as a voluntary association of now 56 countries, spanning five geographical regions with a combined population of 2.5 billion people, has sought to advance global action on climate change for decades.
In 1989, Commonwealth leaders recognized climate change as an existential threat in the Langkawi Declaration on the Environment.
This year, at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Rwanda in June, leaders jointly called for scaled up action and support around the issue of loss and damage. This has been a critical issue for many vulnerable countries who require financing to address the negative impacts they have already suffered due to climate change.
It was included for the first time on the official agenda of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh, leading to a historic step forward to set up a global Loss and Damage Fund.
The Secretary-General emphasised: “It was solidarity that delivered the historic outcomes on Loss and Damage at COP27, just a few weeks ago.”
{{Towards a Smart Commonwealth}}
She added that a digitalised and “smart” approach to building resilience was also crucial to overcoming challenges, outlining flagship programmes such as the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub, the Commonwealth Blue Charter, the Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda on Trade and Investment, which are currently being rolled out to support member countries.
In the margins of the OACPS summit, the Secretary-General also met with leaders to discuss shared interests and opportunities for partnerships. This included meetings with President João Manuel Lourenço of Angola, President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe, President Wavel Ramkalawan of Seychelles, Prime Minister Philip Davis of The Bahamas, Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa of Samoa and other dignitaries.
The 10th OACPS Summit was chaired by the President of Angola, who takes over the presidency from Kenya.
The refugees gathered in crowds today early morning for a march sounding alarms with spoken words and banners denouncing the killings targeting Tutsi communities in DRC and calling for the end of silence of the country and international community.
It has been few days since the United Nations (UN) warned of Genocide against Tutsis forming a community of Kinyarwanda-speaking people in DRC.
The UN raised the alarm following hate speeches and violence against Kinyarwanda-speaking people.
The situation exacerbated after M23 rebel group resumed fighting with Congolese Army (FARDC) over the country’s failure to implement peace accords signed in 2013.
Rwandophones make up 5% of the entire Congolese population. They mainly reside in eastern Congo in South and North Kivu provinces.
History shows that these citizens found themselves in DRC following border delimitations set out in Berlin Conference held in 1884 to discuss the partitioning of Africa.
Rwanda accommodates over 75,000 Congolese refugees of whom the majority has lived in the country for more than 25 years.
The ABH Prize Competition held for the fourth consecutive time this year, is a philanthropic initiative sponsored by the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Philanthropy.
The 10 entrepreneurs were selected from over 21,000 applications across all 54 African nations after six months’ rigorous evaluation by over 230 judges.
They hail from eight African countries including Cameron, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa and Tanzania. Their start-ups have been drawn from a wide variety of industries including agriculture, consulting, energy, environmental protection, healthcare, information & communication technology (ICT), and retail.
These outstanding entrepreneurs share a common trait of having a deep commitment to creating a positive impact on their communities, such as empowering disadvantaged groups, increasing access to digital commerce for businesses in Africa and leveraging technology to improve agricultural efficiency for small-holder farmers.
All finalists won a share of the competition’s US$1.5 million grant. Elia Timotheo, Founder and CEO of East Africa Fruits Co. emerged the overall winner and walked away with US$300,000.
Tesh Mbaabu, Co-Founder and CEO of Marketforce Technologies (Kenya) and Nadia Gamal El Din, Founder and CEO of Rahet Bally (Egypt) won the second and third place respectively and received a prize share of US$250,000 and US$150,000.
Each of the finalists other than the top three received US$100,000 in prize funding, and an additional US$10,000 will be allocated to each of the top ten finalists for immersive training program(s) and community gathering activities.
The remaining seven entrepreneurs include Cameroonian Flavien Kouatcha Simo, Managing Partner of Save Our Agriculture Sarl; Egyptian Amena Elsaie, Co-Founder of Helm Consulting; Ethiopian Amadou Daffe, CEO/Co-Founder of Gebeya Inc. Addis Ababa; Ghanaian Prince Agbata, Co-founder and CEO of Coliba Waste Management Services Limited; South African Shona Mcdonald, Founder and Executive Director of Shonaquip Social Enterprise; South African Elmarie Pereira, Chief Operations Executive, Co- Founder & Acting CEO of Memeza Shout (PTY) Ltd and Rwandan Francine Munyaneza, Founder of MUNYAX ECO.
Rwanda has been participating in ABH each year since its inception in 2019 and has highly benefited as 4 entrepreneurs from Rwanda have so far emerged among top 10 winners for the year 2019, 2021 and 2022 respectively. Overall, to date, Rwanda has won a total grant of over US$385,000 (equivalent to over 406 million Rwandan Francs).
IGIHE has sat with Rwandan Munyaneza to tell us more about what this continent-wide competition has been like, how she made it to the top, her innovation which is solving a major continental problem in the energy sector and what her win means to her business.
She also shared the key lessons Rwandan and African entrepreneurs can learn from the ABH initiative and how she plans to spend the grant.
{{Excerpts:}}
{{1. Kindly tell us briefly about your project?}}
{{Francine Munyaneza: }} My projects are diverse and I can’t talk about them without mentioning MUNYAX ECO because this is where all are being implemented!
So, MUNYAX ECO is a promising company specialized in solar energy where we provide affordable green energy solutions such us: PV systems, SWH, SSL, SHS, Solar pumping, Solar cold chains (freezers & cold room), plus energy consultancy services (like energy auditing) while fostering women empowerment and leadership.
Our slogan is: Save Energy, Save Money, Save the Planet!
{{2. Which lessons have you learnt from participation in the Africa’s Business Heroes Prize Competition?}}
The first lesson I have learnt from the Africa’s Business Heroes prize competition is that technology holds the future. Whatever solution you are providing, for you to be competitive, your project needs to be very scalable. It has to be adapted to this century’s dynamicity and lifestyle.
Another lesson is that African entrepreneurs are doing great works in their respective fields, some of them are widely known and others only locally known due to limited financial means, but still the brains are sharp with strong desire to contribute to the overall development of our continent.
{{3. To what efforts do you attribute the selection among top ten winners of the 2022 Africa’s Business Heroes Prize Competition?}}
-* To personal determination and desire to contribute on the development of my country & Africa in general,
-* To the clear vision; business model; and impact of the company,
-* To Team work spirit (strong, experienced, enthusiast, and dedicated team members _ board members, employees, and business partners)
-* The correct and sincere explanation of my business during preliminary selections (pitches)_presentation skills,
{{4. Your company targets to solve Rwanda’s energy challenges in rural and urban areas by providing solar equipment made and tested in Africa. What are your long-term goals and how far have you gone with attaining the same?}}
{{My long-term goals to this matter lay within other big and exciting projects in pipeline! }}
-* MUNYAX ECO is planning to extend its activities in Africa.
-* I have an ambitious project of starting a manufacturing firm starting with Solar Water Heater (SWH) Systems. This project is going to include the existing recycling department (we currently make furniture and building materials from old/defected products). This will reduce importation expenses (shipment & clearance cost, waiting time, other risks) to enhance the affordability of our products.
-* The Second project is about opening a gender sensitive training centre. This project will train skillful employees to the previous one!
{{Where we are on this point:}} There is no time MUNYAX Eco has been operating without interns/apprentice. We always offer to the youth (especially young women) apprenticeships and internships opportunities to sharpen their practical skills.
{{5. What has been the impact of your project to the community, particularly, Rwandans?}}
I might have mentioned some of the impacts briefly, let me elaborate!
-* Munyax eco is contributing to the achievement of most of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
-* More households (Rwandan) are getting access to clean and affordable energy solutions _SDG 7,
-* Job creation (income generating of course to reduce poverty) and most of the employees are Rwandans part of the community _ I must highlight that for new job or field activities which do not require special skills, we always employ locals (many cases on cold room and SHS), _SDG 1 and 8,
-* Gender inclusion though women empowerment (those are Rwandan women, who are basic foundation of the community) _SDG 5
-* Contribution in quality education (Munyax Eco has provided lighting and SWH to different schools (eg: Juru Primary school, Kibihekane TVET, St.Joseph Nyamirambo, etc _SDG 4
-* By providing PV system, SWH, and filtered drinking water to 2 health centres (Gahanga and Gitarama), we contributed to both _SDG 3, most of the patients and employees at those health centres lives in nearby community.
-* Our solar pumping solution contribute to agriculture productivity to beat hunger when it’s done for irrigation _SDG 2, and contribute to the supply of safe drinking water where water is being pumped from wheel and filtered for consumption _SDG 6 (partenering also with Water Access’ kiosks in Rwanda).
-* Our partnership with Solaris Kit, IPRC and SOS Rwanda is also providing skills to young Rwandans as we already have 4 interns from both last institutions _SDG 17,
-* Reduced Co2 emission (5000 tons per yesr) by providing environmentally
-* friendly energy solutions which is a contribution to climate action _SDG 13.
{{6. What can other entrepreneurs especially Rwandans learn from your project? }}
-* I would advise other Rwandan entrepreneurs to believe in themselves first.
-* Align your business with local and global agenda/policies,
-* Always remember why they started their ventures and let the purpose drive them,
-* Stay updated, information is the key!
-* Think out of the box, look beyond their current struggles, take risks worth taking.
-* You must have a qualified team & constantly give them opportunity to grow (eg: trainings)
-* Learn from others (advanced business advisors or fellow business owners),
-* Build partnerships that would add value or expand your business (In innovation, scalability or technology)
{{7. How do you intend to spend the ABH prize share to make Munyax Eco more meaningful to communities surrounding your operations? }}
The ABH prize share is mainly going to be used in cold chain technology, and we believe to become a success given the fact that we provide solar cold rooms and solar freezers on reasonable lease agreement.
New cold rooms will create new job opportunities for locals during construction and operation later, local farmers will benefit by storing they production while waiting for buyers which reduce post-harvest losses.
{{8. What message do you have for budding and existing entrepreneurs across Rwanda and in the region who have not yet participated in this competition? }}
I would tell them that knocking on a door doesn’t cost anything but if you don’t do it, you may never get in!
ABH is a big and powerful competition for African entrepreneurs. There is no condition about business stage; age limit; gender or any other thing. The most important thing is your business model, it’s scalability and impact.
Please try your chance, follow ABH website to get updates regarding next competitions.
You never know how life-changing this competition can be, a break through window that lead you to an open platform where growth opportunities are shared amongst those who manage to make it to the top 10 finals, living alone the prize.
It’s possible. If I did it, If Munyax did it, you can do it too!
In the afternoon of Monday 12th December 2022, Kagame is expected to grace the official opening of the summit which brings together leaders to discuss development cooperation as a catalyst for using local, national and global resources in the best possible way for the fastest and most sustainable impact to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) to be achieved by 2030.
Running from 12th to 14th December, the summit also attracts ministers and decision-makers on development co-operation policies and programs, civil society leaders, CEOs of the private sector, and other key actors from trade unions, foundations, multilateral development banks, local and regional governments, parliamentarians, and academia.
Kagame is expected to deliver keynote address to participants including the President of Switzerland, Ignazio Cassis; President of Moldova, Maia Sandu of Moldova and Deputy UN Secretary General, Amina J Mohammed.
Before the summit, Kagame attended a breakfast hosted by President Cassis on the sidelines of the summit.
The summit is organized by Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation (GPEDC).
Formed in 2012, GPEDC is an association of governments and organisations that seek to improve practices of international development.
It brings together about 161 countries and 56 major organisations concerned with development.
The finals were played on Sunday, December 11, at BK Arena where students from various schools converged, marking the end of the month-long first edition.
Riviera beat Ecole Francaise 56-13 while Wellspring Academy saw off Green Hills Academy 18-10 in the finals.
The awareness campaign targeting students in international schools, through sports, is one of the RNP initiatives to combat one of the high impact crimes affecting youth development.
It was held under the theme: “Say No to Drugs. Don’t Drug Your Dreams Away.”
One of the students, Godson Shema observed that “consuming drugs is suicide paid in instalments.”
“I urge all the youth gathered here today to make the responsible choice of staying drug-free. With the involvement of each one of us, together we will create a drug-free environment and foster a culture of success and excellence,” said Shema.
Blessing Isimbi Blessing, a Senior Five student at Riviera High School, also said the the youth have a leading role to play to fight drugs, since they are the majority targeted by drug dealers.
“As the youth, our role against drugs starts with not consuming or abusing them, fighting them, reporting dealers, advising our friends to stop because it is about our health and our future,” said Isimbi.
Martine Urujeni, the vice mayor in charge of Social Economic Affairs in City of Kigali, urged the students to live a purposeful life.
“Be an example and an inspiration to others; stay positive by saying no to drugs and alcohol abuse, avoid peer influence and create change by reporting drug dealers,” said Urujeni.
Commissioner of Police (CP) Bruce Munyambo, the Commissioner for Community Policing at RNP, reminded the students of the dangers involved in abusing drugs and the legal repercussions.
While thanking schools and students that participated in the tournament, he said, it was organized to create awareness and to enhance partnership to fight and prevent drugs, and to build work together against the vice.
“You have a bright future and your parents are striving to ensure that that future becomes a reality. That can only be possible when you are free from drugs,” said CP Munyambo.
“There are cases of young people, who abuse drugs through sniffing, injections, smoking but there is also another issue of alcohol abuse among minors. Drugs affect both the consumer, society and the country in general. Stay positive, study hard, and save your colleagues by reporting people, who want to poison and destroy them by selling them narcotics for selfish and evil interests,” CP Munyambo added.
He observed that through community policing and partnership, including with students, the RNP has been able to unearth some tricks used by drug dealers to drug young people and students in particular, and that some of them have been arrested.
During this campaign, and through information provided by some students, it emerged that some drug dealers sell them through snacks, E-cigarette cases and other hard drug cases in some schools.
“Sometimes, it is hard to know drug dealers and tricks used; go back to your schools and homes with a duty to work with the Police to report drug dealers and to contribute to creating a drug-free young generation and society in general,” he emphasized.
Amb. Gatete said that the quest for lasting peace in Eastern DRC cannot be achieved by spreading a dangerous and false narrative that exacerbates the problem and puts lives at risk but through the willpower to implement the decisions of Nairobi and Luanda.
In his speech, Amb Gatete said that Rwanda is ready to support the Nairobi and Luanda processes and contribute to the implementation of their resolutions.
He said Rwanda is ready to support discussions aimed at restoring peace in hopes that someday they will impact the security issues in the DRC, which affect Rwanda as a neighbor.
Amb. Gatete condemned unhelpful external interference by some members of the international community.
He highlighted that the interference shields the Democratic Republic of the Congo from accountability regarding ‘its unresponsiveness to commitments made through ongoing processes and ultimately risks undermining the success of these initiatives’.
Amb. Gatate said that Rwanda has repeatedly indicated that it has no connections with the M23 rebel group and that the fighting between this group and the FARDC is an internal matter.
He recalled three incidents in which shells from DRC were fired into Rwandan territory on 19th March, 23rd May and 20th June this year and reminded the UN Security Council that the sovereignty of Rwanda should be respected.
The provocations continued until DRC’s Sukhoi 25 fighter jet violated Rwanda’s airspace on 7th November 2022 and landed briefly before taking off.
Amb. Gatete also inquired into when the international community would stand against the FDLR and its condemned cooperation between the FARDC and other armed groups.
Among others, he wondered why the Special Representative of the Secretary-General Bintou Keita did not name FDLR in the terrorist groups when she addressed the council about terrorist groups in DRC.
The award is in recognition of introduction of the Road Safety Enforcement Cameras’ commonly known as Sofia.
RNP Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) in charge of Administration and Personnel, Jeanne Chantal Ujeneza, received the award from the World Bank Country manager, Rolande Simone Pryce and Maxwell Gomera, the UNDP Resident Representative.
The RNP’s ‘Road Safety Enforcement Cameras’ was in public category alongside Ubutaka App (National Land Authority), Health Information Exchange (Ministry of Health) and Air Quality Monitoring System (REMA).
The Hi-Tech enforcement cameras detect motoring offences such as speeding, violating red traffic light, people using a phone while driving, among other traffic violations.
It is an automated system that detects the vehicle or motorcycle registration records and instantly notifies the registered owner of the breached traffic offences and applied penalties.
Hanga Pitchfest, a brainchild of the Ministry of ICT and Innovation, Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and other partners, aims to recognize and promote tech-intrepreneurs and creative talents from all over the country.
It also promotes use of technology and innovation in the Rwandan market.
The RNP spokesperson, Commissioner of Police (CP) John Bosco Kabera, said that information technology is at the forefront of the force’s services as a major tool for contemporary policing.
“Traffic speed enforcement cameras are among many other technological advancements within the RNP services to ensure service excellence and to easy access to the Police services,” CP Kabera said.
He added: “We have other IT-related services like online registration and booking for driving tests, online provisional license test, booking for vehicle mechanical inspection, filing a complaint online, toll-free lines and social media platforms where the RNP swiftly communicates with the public and responds to their concerns.”
This e-policing system, he said, has eased access to Police services and in real time, improved service delivery, helped to prevent human errors; facilitates prevention, detection and investigation of offences and crimes in general.
Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Sylvestre Twajamahoro, the Police spokesperson for the City of Kigali, said that the operations conducted on Friday, December 9, followed complaints by some truck drivers in Magerwa, about people, who steal fuel from their trucks.
“There was information about people, who siphon and steal fuel from trucks in Magerwa parking lots, and selling it on black market. Operations were conducted on Friday when 820 litres of fuel (800 litres of diesel and 20 litres of gasoline) were recovered from various houses in Gikondo and Gatenga sectors.
Dealers closed their houses where petroleum products are stored, when they heard of operations, which forced security organs and local leaders to open them to seize the fuels,” CIP Twajamahoro said.
Also seized from houses are 200 empty jerrycans and three drums, the containers that dealers were using.
It is alleged the people selling fuel on the black market also work with some truck drivers to siphon fuel from their tanks.
This operation followed another conducted early this week in Muhima Sector of Nyarugenge District where one man was arrested with 3120 litres of diesel in his house.
CIP Twajamahoro warned against such unlawful but very dangerous business, which can easily ignite fire leading to loss of lives and destruction of property.
Article 6 of Law No 85/2013 of 11/9/2013 regulating petroleum and petroleum products trade in Rwanda provides that; any person, who shall perform any type of petroleum and petroleum products trade shall have a license from the competent Authority.
In article 22, the petroleum and petroleum products stores and other places exclusively reserved for the parking of petroleum and petroleum products tankers shall be determined by the competent authority.
Also being exhibited are R&D products produced by NIRDA Staff, including those already transferred to private companies for large scale production and commercialization.
The event took place at NIRDA’s Research Centre located in Huye District.
Young innovators had innovative ideas, which were incubated in NIRDA Life Sciences Laboratory and turned into prototypes, Products and by-products rotating around the cow value chain addition.
Products include cow dung briquette producing machines, Cow Safe ear tag for among others detecting cow diseases & Welfare, eco-friendly cook stoves, cow blood sausages, cow urines and cow dung fertilizers, cow dung briquette cow.
Speaking during the event, Richard Niwenshuti, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade, and Industry (MINICOM) hailed NIRDA for supporting young innovators stressing that the youth are the future industrialists.
“The projects supported by NIRDA show we can have innovations that address issues that our industries are faced with,” he said.
“We need more innovations, and we are committed to keep supporting young innovators whose projects bring about a positive impact to our industries. We thank NIRDA for nurturing young innovators and we commit to support more innovators,” he added.
Under its Life Sciences Laboratories and STEM lab, NIRDA supported the young innovators through hackathons for the second time.
Apart from the just concluded Innovate for Cow Biohackathon where 8 groups were awarded with cash prices, NIRDA organized innovate for Industry hackathon and 6 companies were awarded.
Such innovations, according to Dr. Christian Sekomo Birame, NIRDA Director General, more efforts will be put in to support young innovators and ensure that outstanding projects are more improved, registered, and commercialized.
“We will keep working with young innovators and work with other institutions and the private sector to improve the young innovators and ensure that their projects become viable and commercial products,” he said.
Fausta Tumukunde, one of the Green Home Group members who bagged Rwf10 million said she was excited about the award and committed to keep working on their projects.
“Our project seeks to address the issue of environmental pollution, research reveals more trees are cut and used as firewood or charcoal, we want to work using our machine to produce briquettes that are eco-friendly and affordable,” she said.
The National Industrial Research and Development Agency (NIRDA), is a government institution that has been mandated with a mission to enable a generation of industrial innovators to become competitive through technology monitoring, acquisition, development and transfer & applied research.
