Rwanda has deliberately prioritised Information Communication and Technology (ICT) as one of the sectors of transformative development. Raising the use of mobile devices and smartphones is one of the strategies that the country has embarked on.

However, to ease access to information will require development of an ecosystem to facilitate rollout of affordable digital platforms that ease operations and communication. Hooza, a Kigali-based digital media house, has collaborated with other digital media companies to launch Voice of America’s VOA Africa 60 mobile service in Kinyarwanda; something that the initiators believe will revolutionalise the way Rwandans access information.

"We are happy to have VOA as a partner, and we invite other media houses, corporate and Rwandan Government to expand their mainstream channels to our mobile platform,” said Victor Nkindi, the founder of Hooza. "Mobile as a medium is crucial to provide content through affordable digital platforms. It is important to have this technology available in Rwanda, where the ICT sector is a key enabler of development,” he added.

VOA 60 Afurika provides daily news in Kinyarwanda in a 60-second audio format produced by VOA Africa, offering voice message of news updates, world news and breaking news to subscribers across feature phones and smartphones and is powered by Kirusa’s InstaVoice platform.

The new system was launched last week in partnership with Kirusa, the US’ Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), and the Voice of America, according to a statement from Hooza. Kirusa is a global leader in providing telecom and social media solutions that enable customers to have a voice and connect seamlessly. To subscribe, mobile users can send the keyword "VOA” to 2656.

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