Youth in the technology sector have come together once again to be part of commemorating the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi using mobile and web technology.

The ‘Incike’ mobile app, which was launched last year, now has additional and better features.

The aim of the app created and initiated by young ICT entrepreneurs is to help raise money for Genocide survivors who are above 70 years of age and unable to support themselves. It will also help pay tuition for survivors who are unable to continue with their university education due to lack of tuition fees.

One of the co-designers of the app says the idea was conceived after realizing the plight of elderly survivors.

"We visited two elderly survivors.  Antoine Iyakaremye,81, lived in a leaking house while the other, Caritas Nyiragakara, had nine children but lost eight of them during the Genocide. The other child was raped and infected with HIV/Aids and later passed away in 2000. We felt there could be many more living in such dilemma and in need of help,” Mutangana said. 

How the app works

This app works on any phone, from smart phones to more traditional phones. All one has to do is dial *654# and a menu will appear with simple instructions to choose language, next step is to choose how much to contribute ranging from Rwf50 to Rwf100 that will be deducted from the mobile airtime every morning with a reminder message for the 100 days of commemoration. The app works on all mobile network operators.

Mobile phone subscribers registered with Tigo cash can also contribute by dialing *200*1*20568# while MTN Mobile Money customers can send money to 0788520122.

People outside Rwanda can also contribute to the cause through the bank account number 00059-0641589-44 in the Bank of Kigali, which is jointly owned by Avega and AERG.

The new features on the app

The payment application has also been added to the site to enable online payments for people in any part of the world.

What the youth want to achieve this year 

This year’s target for the crowd funding initiative is to be able to collect money that will be enough to pay for these elder’s health insurance and a daily cup of milk for the next twelve months as well as put about 500 children in AERG back to school.

The initiative that was launched by the Minister for Youth and ICT, Hon Jean-Philbert Nsengimana last year will be relaunched again this year on the 10th of April, 2015 at kLab.

The subscription will also commence on the same evening.