RICTA launches the “Zamuka na AkadomoRW” campaign to digitize businesses in Rwanda.
The campaign aims to promote AkadomoRW discounted websites and help the recovery of businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic disruption.
RICTA together with AkadomoRW Resellers and other partners launched a new campaign dubbed “Zamuka na AkadomoRW” loosely translated as “Elevate your Business with RW” to support businesses that have been hit by disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through digitizing businesses, the campaign is offering discounted websites to enable struggling businesses, organizations, institutions, and individuals an affordable way to grow and expand by reaching customers at a relatively reduced cost. The participating resellers are Spiderbit, eBD, Kitech, AOS Ltd, Megabit, Programmage, Teradig, Innoventyk, and Esicia Ltd.
The campaign which was slated to launch at the start of the first quarter of 2021 couldn’t have been timelier as most businesses in Kigali came to standstill after Kigali entered a 3-week lockdown that started from the 19th January 2021 to 7th February 2021.
Despite the challenges posed by the stay-at-home lockdown, the Initiative was launched with a well-received 10-day Early Bird Teaser Campaign aimed at providing 100 Rwandan businesses with a 100% Discounted Fully Sponsored Website. More than 100 individuals/entrepreneurs signed up to digitize their businesses indicating a pent-up demand for affordable digital presence as commerce, transactions, and customer experience shifted predominantly online in the lockdown period.
The campaign was officially launched on February 2nd, 2021. It was at this stage when the remaining two eCommerce packages were unveiled to complete the product offering. These packages (Discounted Gold Package – @250,000 Rwf and Discounted Platinum Package – @500,000 Rwf) together with the Fully Sponsored Package allowed businesses to go online and get a website, so they can harness the power of the Internet to elevate their profiles, enhance their operations & reach global markets considerably affordably.
This was emphasized by the CEO of RICTA Grace Ingabire when she said, “The campaign is not only meant to boost our digital economy but also serve as a recovery model for businesses that have been disrupted and heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are calling upon businesses, institutions, organizations, and individuals working in Rwanda to purchase and use our discounted AkadomoRW websites. Grow your business, cut overhead costs, and get recognized.”
The official launch was accompanied by an awareness drive on various media houses such as RBA radio, RTV, Igihe, Royal FM, Kiss FM, and the Barbara Show on Isimbi TV.
The awareness effort also extended to social media with partners such as the Ministry of ICT & Innovation, the Private Sector Foundation – Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs (PSF CYE), Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) and Rwanda Development Board (RDB) to mention but a few playing a supporting role to boost awareness of the business community at large online.
In late February, with the easing of restrictions came field sales activations that saw a team of RICTA foot soldiers fan out across Kigali to register enthusiastic businesses and organizations looking to expand their online presence. This culminated in a week of registrations at Simba Supermarket branches across the city at the end of March.
This was met with an enthusiastic reception as noted by Caleb Gumosabe, one of the satisfied customers. “I was very excited and happy to get the website,” he remarked. “The website has improved my business online and I have received many people visiting my website,” he said. He went on to say that “I have managed to recommend more people to get their website and enjoy the excitement and also grow their business online.”
Another happy customer, Innocent Muramira, a lawyer, told RICTA that the campaign offering was good and he was very excited to get his website. “The website is so promising and it is easy for clients to access it,” he commented. “I like this website because it is highly protected and easy to access. I am happy for the work provided to get his website and I also recommended more people to get websites for their businesses,” he continued.
AkadomoRW resellers have also received the campaign well. One of them, Ivan, from eBD eagerly, reflected that “It is amazing how the Rwanda community has embraced this campaign.” He further observed, that “It is very evident that we know the use of websites and how essential they are in businesses.”
As an initially uncertain first quarter comes to an end, thanks go to these hundreds of Rwandan Businesses which can now start to reap the benefits of digitization as they stamp their unique online presence with a proudly Rwandan identity.
From RICTA’s perspective, this is only the beginning. Hundreds of more businesses and/or organizations are expected to receive this golden opportunity to boost their brand and grow their respective customer bases.
As the author Mark Twain once said, “The secret of getting ahead is getting started”… and we are just getting started!