Press Release - For Immediate Release
Kigali, Rwanda - 18 March 2021
SME Response Clinic Launches Campaign to Recognise the Role of Small Businesses in Rwanda’s COVID-19 Recovery
The SME Response Clinic, a platform powered by Access to Finance Rwanda and ConsumerCentriX in collaboration with the Private Sector Federation, the Association of Microfinance Institutions in Rwanda, African Management Institute, New Faces New Voices Rwanda, and Rwanda Bankers’ Association, has today launched a campaign to recognise and celebrate the role of small businesses in Rwanda’s road to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The SME Response Clinic is a platform launched in 2020 to support small and medium-sized enterprises to overcome challenges brought about by COVID-19 through resources and learning opportunities.
The three-week campaign is called ‘Twiteze Imbere’ (Let’s Move Forward Together) and will share stories of small business resilience, encourage entrepreneurs and business owners to utilise SME Response Clinic resources, and celebrate exceptional businesses through the inaugural SME Response Clinic Business Awards.
Over the course of the campaign, the general public and other business owners will be invited to nominate their favourite small businesses for a SME Response Clinic Business Award. Nominations are open in the categories of women-owned businesses, start-up or innovative businesses, and established businesses. The winner in each category will receive a cash prize of one million Rwandan francs to invest in their business as well as expert advisory services. Nominations are open from 18 March until 2 April 2021. Selected runners-up will be sponsored to participate in the African Management Institute’s Survive to Thrive programme. Through this programme, business owners will be equipped with the skills, tools, and strategies to navigate challenges and thrive in difficult times, and network with other entrepreneurs in Rwanda and across Africa.
“Small businesses are the backbone of Rwanda’s economy and employ the vast majority of people across the country. The ‘Twiteze Imbere’ campaign celebrates this and recognises their contribution to Rwanda’s recovery from the pandemic. I encourage all Rwandans to nominate their favourite small business for the SME Response Clinic Business Awards as a great way to show support for local business and the role they play in our day-to-day lives,” said Jean Bosco Iyacu, Country Director, Access to Finance Rwanda.
“We’re delighted to launch this campaign to celebrate the tremendous resilience of entrepreneurs in Rwanda. The SME Response Clinic Business Awards are one way we hope to honor and further support the small businesses that have been pillars of the communities during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Anna Gincherman, Partner, ConsumerCentriX.
Learn more about the campaign and nominate your favourite small business at www.smeresponse.clinic/awards or by calling 0781024420.
About the SME Response Clinic
In May 2020, Access to Finance Rwanda (AFR) partnered with ConsumerCentriX to launch the SME Response Clinic – a platform that supports entrepreneurs in Rwanda struggling in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. The SME Response Clinic provides access to training, industry insights, and financial management advice to entrepreneurs in Rwanda struggling to adjust to the economic realities of COVID-19. Access the platform at smeresponse.clinic
About Access to Finance Rwanda
AFR began its operations in 2010 with the core objective of stimulating the development of the financial sector in Rwanda. AFR’s intention is to remove the systemic barriers that hinder access to financial services by putting low-income people particularly the rural poor and women at the centre of its interventions. AFR supports the development and provision of financial services including savings, credit, insurance, payments, and remittances. Learn more at afr.rw
Media Contact
For any enquiries or more information, write to musa.kacheche@consumercentrix.ch or reach out to Emile Ndayambaje, AFR Communications Manager, at emile@afr.rw.
SME Response Clinic yatangije ubukangurambaga bwo gushyigikira no kuzirikana uruhare rw’ibigo by’ubucuruzi bito mu kuzahura ubukungu bw’u Rwanda bwazahajwe n’ icyorezo cya COVID-19.
Ibitewemo inkunga na Access to Finance Rwanda, ConsumerCentriX, Urugaga rw’Abikorera mu Rwanda (PSF), Ishyirahamwe ry’Ibigo by’Imari Iciriritse Bikorera mu Rwanda (AMIR), Ikigo Nyafurika Kigamije Guteza Imbere Imiyoborere (AMI), New Faces New Voices Rwanda, n’Ishyirahamwe ry’Amabanki mu Rwanda, SME Response Clinic yatangije ubukangurambaga bugamije gushyigikira no kuzirikana uruhare rw’ibigo by’ubucuruzi bito byo mu Rwanda mu rugendo rwo rwo gusohoka mu bibazo byatewe n’icyorezo cyugarije isi cya COVID-19. SME Response Clinic ni ihuriro ryashyizweho muri 2020 kugira ngo rifashe ibigo by’ubucuruzi bito n’ibiciriritse gukemura ibibazo byatewe na COVID-19 bihabwa ibyangombwa bikeneye n’amahirwe yo kwiyungura ubumenyi.
Binyuriye kuri ubu bukangurambaga buzamara ibyumweru bitatu bwiswe ‘Twiteze Imbere’, buzaba bukumiyemo gusangira inkuru z’uburyo ibigo by’ubucuruzi buto byabashije guhangana n’ibihe bikomeye turimo. Nanone, ba rwiyemezamirimo na ba nyir’ibigo by’ubucuruzi bitandukanye bazashishikarizwa kwitabira gahunda za SME Response Clinic, hanatangwe agashimwe ku bigo by’ubucuruzi byagaragaje ubudasa.
Mu gihe cyose ubu bukangurambaga buzamara, abantu bose muri rusange hamwe n’abafite ibigo by’ubucuruzi bazahabwa umwanya wo guhitamo ibigo by’ubucuruzi bito bizahabwa agashimwe na SME Response Clinic. Ibigo bizatoranywa bigomba kuba biri mu cyiciro cy’ibigo biyoborwa n’abagore, icy’ibigo by’ubucuruzi bikiyubaka cyangwa ibifite udushya hamwe n’ibigo byamaze gukomera. Gutanga amazina y’ibigo bizatoranywamo ibizahembwa bizatangira kuwa 18 Werurwe bisozwe kuwa 2 Mata 2021.
Ikigo cy’ubucuruzi kizatsinda muri buri cyiciro kizahabwa igihembo cy’amafaranga y’u Rwanda angana na miliyoni imwe (1,000,000) yakwifashishwa mu bucuruzi bwabo, hakiyongeraho guhabwa serivisi z’ubujyanama n’inzobere mu bijyanye n’ubucuruzi nta kiguzi. Icyiciro cy’ubucuruzi buzatsinda ku mwanya wa kabiri kizahabwa inkunga yo gukurikirana amahugurwa atangwa n’Ikigo Nyafurika Kigamije Guteza Imbere Imiyoborere (AMI), yiswe “Komeza Utere Imbere – Survive to Thrive”. Binyuze kuri ayo mahugurwa, ba rwiyemezamirimo bazunguka ubuhanga, bahabwe ibikoresho byabugenewe, bige n’ingamba zabafasha guhangana n’ibibazo bagakomeza gutera imbere muri ibi bihe bikomeye byatewe n’icyorezo cya COVID-19. Nanone, bazahahurira n’abandi bacuruzi bo mu Rwanda no muri Afurika.
Mu gusobanura iby’ubu bukangurambaga, Jean Bosco Iyacu, umuyobozi wa Access to Finance mu Rwanda, aragira ati: “Ibigo by’ubucuruzi bito ni urutirigongo rw’ubukungu bw’u Rwanda kandi biha akazi abantu hafi ya bose mu Rwanda hose. Ubukangurambaga bwiswe ‘Twiteze Imbere’ bugamije kuzirikana icyo kintu no gushyigikira uruhare rwa byo mu gufasha u Rwanda kwikura mu bibazo by’ubukungu byazanywe n’icyorezo cyugarije isi cya COVID-19. Ndashishikariza Abanyarwanda bose guhitamo ibigo by’ubucuruzi bito byujuje ibisabwa bityo bizahabwe ibihembo byagenewe na SME Response Clinic nk’uburyo bukomeye bwo kugaragaza ko bishyikigiwe mu ruhare bigira mu buzima bwacu bwa buri munsi.”
Naho Anna Gincherman, umufatanyabikorwa wo muri ConsumerCentrix aragira ati: “Tunejejwe no gutangiza ubu bukangurambaga bugamije kwishimira uburyo ba rwiyemezamirimo bo mu Rwanda bakoze iyo bwabaga ntibaheranwe n’ibihe bikomeye turi gucamo. Ibihembo bizatangwa na SME Response Clinic ni uburyo bumwe bwo guha icyubahiro no gutera ingabo mu bitugu ibigo by’ubucuruzi bito byabereye abaturage inkingi ya mwamba mu gihe cy’icyorezo cya COVID-19.”
Ku bindi bisobanuro kuri ubu bukangurambaga n’uko watora ikigo cy’ubucuruzi gito gikwiye guhabwa agashimwe, jya ku rubuga www.smeresponse.clinic/awards cyangwa uhamagare 0781024420.
Ibyerekeye SME Response Clinic
Muri Gicurasi 2020, Access to Finance Rwanda (AFR) yafatanyije na Consumer Centrix hatangizwa icyiswe SME Response Clinic; ihuriro rifasha ba rwiyemezamirimo bagerageza guhangana n’icyorezo cyugarije isi cya COVID-19. SME Response Clinic igenera ba rwiyemezamirimo bo mu Rwanda bagerageza kumenyera imiterere y’ubucuruzi bwazanywe n’icyorezo cya COVID-19, amahugurwa, ubujyanama ku bigezweho, n’uburyo bw’icungamari. Ku bindi bisobanuro, wasura urubuga smeresponse.clinic
Ibyerekeye Access to Finance Rwanda
AFR yatangiye ibikorwa byayo muri 2010 ifite intego nyamukuru yo guteza imbere urwego rw’imari mu Rwanda. AFR igamije gukuraho inzitizi zo muri sosiyete tubamo zibuza abantu kubona serivisi zijyanye n’imari hibandwa ku bantu binjiza make, cyane cyane abatishoboye n’abagore bo mu cyaro. AFR ishyigikira iterambere n’itangwa rya serivisi z’imari zirimo ubwizigame, gutanga inguzanyo, ubwishingizi, ubwishyu, no guhererekanya amafaranga. Ushobora kubona amakuru kuri AFR unyuze ku rubuga rwa afr.rw
Aho wabariza amakuru
Niba hari ibyo wifuza kubaza cyangwa ukeneye andi makuru, andikira musa.kacheche@consumercentrix.ch cyangwa wandikire Emile Ndayambaje, Umuyobozi ushinzwe ihererekanyamakuru muri AFR kuri emile@afr.rw.
