18
Aug

More than 12,000 households located in Nyagatare and Gatsibo districts have already started being connected to the grid thanks to distribution lines under construction in the area under the project funded by the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa BADEA. 

The lines will be supply different sectors of Nyagatare and Gatsibo District including Gatunda, Karama, Kiyombe, Mimuli, Mukama, Nyagatare and Rukomo in Nyagatare District as well as Gatsibo and Nyagihanga Sectors in Gatsibo District.

The project will not only cover the 2 Districts, but also in the North, there is  another part of the project which is ongoing in Burera District. 

The new lines to be built in Nyagatare and Gatsibo consist of more than 360 kilometers of low voltage lines (LV) and 132.4 kilometers of medium voltage lines (MV).

The construction of these new lines is now nearing completion and some people have started getting electricity. It is expected that by the end of next month, all construction works will have been completed. 

Happiness among residents of areas already connected

Havugimana Janvier is a young man in his twenties living in Gihengeri Cell, Mukama Sector, in Nyagatare District. After getting electricity He immediately started a small stationery shop with printing, photography and internet services.  

“Before getting electricity, I had left my village and gone to the city looking for jobs” he said. But since we got electricity, I immediately came back here and started this shop. Those who need internet and Irembo services do not have to travel to big cities any more, I can help them and also benefit from it ”.

Janvier says that he is happy of the income he gets from his business. He says that he earns no less than 5000Frws per day, while he spends less than 2,000 Frws per month on electricity.

Mukaniyonsanga Louise, who also lives in Gihengeri, says that when she got electricity, she immediately bought a grinding machine and started a small business to grind vegetables.

 “Before I was a tailor in Gihengeri market, but because we were so many doing the same business, it was hard to get enough profit. I had seen this kind of machine in Kigali. As soon as we got electricity, I went to buy this and started this business. Now I get enough interest to satisfy my family’s needs.”

Mutabazi Evode, is a welder in Gihengeri. He says that before getting electricity he had to travel to Gicumbi District to do his work. 

“I used to work from Gicumbi District  and it costed me a lot. Today, I can work from here and pay less on transport of materials which also makes my products less expensive” he says. 

Evode says the profit he gets now has increased from 5,000 Frws a day to 7,000 Frws.

Nkurunziza Noel, managing Rwempasha diary which was recently connected to the grid says that electricity has helped them reduce the amount of money they used to pay for engine oil. 

“We used to spend a lot of money buying oil and milk congelation used to take long, which also caused our milk to deteriorate and cause us losses. Now that the electricity is here, our work will be faster and cheaper." He said. 

Today, 55% of households in Rwanda have access to electricity, including 40%  connected to the grid while 15% use off-grid solutions including solar home systems and mini-grids.