‘We Care’ Launched in Rwanda to Drive
Mobile Internet Uptake and Promote Digital Skills, Supported by Rwanda’s
Ministry of ICT and Innovation
KIGALI-Wednesday 17 July 2019 [ AETOS Wire ]
1 https://www.gsma.com/newsroom/press-release/first-gsma-we-care-initiative-launches-in-kenya-focusing-on-online-child-protection/
2 https://www.gsma.com/newsroom/press-release/mobile-industry-in-cote-divoire-joins-forces-with-gsma-to-tackle-handset-theft/
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190716005047/en/
(BUSINESS WIRE) --
Rwanda’s mobile industry has joined forces with the GSMA to drive
mobile internet adoption and increase digital literacy in the country.
It was announced at the ‘Mobile 360 Africa’ event in Kigali this morning
that local operators Airtel and MTN will commence a programme of
activity around digital inclusion as part of the GSMA’s We Care
initiative in Rwanda. We Care is launched in collaboration with Rwanda’s
Ministry of ICT and Innovation and the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory
Authority (RURA), supporting government efforts to boost ICT penetration
and digital services across the country.
“I
am glad to see the mobile operators, Airtel and MTN, coming together to
work towards a common goal that will be beneficial to society,” said
H.E Paula Ingabire, Minister of ICT & Innovation of Rwanda.
“Smartphones are important ICT tools that can be used to access key
digital services: education and information, healthcare, financial
services, amongst others. Increasing digital inclusion in Rwanda will
therefore go a long way in empowering our citizens and we are looking
forward to a sustainable collaboration.”
“Today’s
agreement marks an unprecedented collaborative action by Rwanda’s
mobile industry to harness the power of the mobile internet to empower
citizens and deliver on the promise of a ‘Digital Rwanda’,” commented
Akinwale Goodluck, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa, GSMA. “Digital skills are
a prerequisite for people to get online and enhance their lives through
digital services. Through We Care, Airtel and MTN are taking
significant steps to accelerate digital inclusion across the country.”
Driving Mobile Internet Adoption in Rwanda
According
to GSMA Intelligence, only about one in four citizens in Rwanda
currently subscribe to mobile internet services; a lack of digital
skills among the population and a perceived lack of locally relevant
content are among the key barriers to large-scale adoption.
As part of the We Care initiative, Airtel and MTN will be using the GSMA’s Mobile Internet Skills Training Toolkit (MISTT) to
train sales agents and educate customers on how to access mobile
internet services. The MISTT is a visual, easy-to follow curriculum that
helps trainers demonstrate the functionality and value of the internet
on internet-enabled mobile phones. It includes modules on Wikipedia,
Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube and Google, as well as introductory modules
on basics such as internet safety and costs.
Airtel
and MTN Rwanda will train 10,000 sales agents in techniques to teach
their combined customer base functional digital skills within the first
year of the campaign, while the MISTT modules will be adapted to reflect
local needs.
We Care in Support of the Sustainable Development Goals
Through
the GSMA’s We Care initiative, operators around the world are taking
steps to ensure their customers are able to enjoy the transformative
benefits of mobile technology in a safe and reliable environment. These
in-country campaigns support the mobile industry’s commitment to the UN
Sustainable Development Goals and the Digital Declaration, allowing operators to drive impact at a local level.
Driven
by operators together with the GSMA, We Care campaigns address ten key
areas: digital inclusion; child protection; environmental care; disaster
response; SMS spam control; mobile privacy; mobile and health;
infrastructure deployment; contribution to public safety; and handset
theft.
We
Care was launched in Latin America in 2014 and is now running 25
campaigns across the region in collaboration with 55 local operators. In
Africa, We Care initiatives are already live in Kenya1 and Côte d’Ivoire2.
Supporting quotes
"Airtel
Rwanda is delighted to be collaborating with the GSMA through the We
Care campaign, which we believe will deliver wide-ranging benefits to
the population of Rwanda. We are committed to ensuring that our
customers can get the most out of their service so are always supportive
of efforts to promote digital literacy, affordability and
accessibility."
Mr. Amit Chawla, CEO, Airtel Rwanda
“MTN
Rwanda’s purpose is to bring the benefits of a modern connected life to
all. The conditions to accomplish this are: coverage, handset
availability, affordability, services and education. Today we are
pleased to be partnering with GSMA through We Care campaign to enhance
digital literacy in Rwanda. MTN is also pursuing other efforts to tackle
the full range of barriers to digital inclusion, including handset
affordability with our recent 3G smartphone ‘Ikosora’.”
Mr. Bart Hofker, CEO of MTN Rwanda
About the GSMA
The
GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting
more than 750 operators with over 350 companies in the broader mobile
ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies,
equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organisations in
adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces industry-leading
events such as Mobile World Congress, Mobile World Congress Shanghai,
Mobile World Congress
Americas and the Mobile 360 Series of conferences.
For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA
2 https://www.gsma.com/newsroom/press-release/mobile-industry-in-cote-divoire-joins-forces-with-gsma-to-tackle-handset-theft/
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190716005047/en/
Contacts
Media Contacts:
For the GSMA
David Ntwampe Maila
+ 27 72 015 4702
dmaila@webershandwick.com
Beau Bass
+44 7504 442 916
beau.bass@webershandwick.com
GSMA Press Office
pressoffice@gsma.com
