The four-month long nationwide campaign aimed at promoting a savings culture in Rwanda by BK Group Plc, concluded on Friday evening with winners getting various prizes.

The ‘Bigereho na BK’, campaign which kicked off in August saw six people winning last year, various prizes all worth Rwf100 million at the Car Free Zone, Downtown.

Donacien Munyakayanza, who took the first position, won the big prize, a vehicle (lorry) worth Rwf38 million. He’s a father of five who currently works as a small-scale trader in the Eastern Province’s Gatsibo District.

"This is so exciting. I feel so overwhelmed by what BK has done for me. This is a life changing prize for me,” he said, before starting to sing a praise song after his acceptance message.

The excited winner said that he opened his account without so many expectations, but later he was selected and finally invited to participate at the grand finale.

"So far, as a small-scale trader I am going to use this Lorry to strengthen and expand my business. It gives me encouragement to save more for my family, but also inspire others as to why they should work with banks,” Munyakayanza told The New Times.

Meanwhile, the second winner, Shaffy Muhizi, walked away with a dummy cheque of Rwf1 million, which he said would be used in starting a small business if he got more support.

Alphonsine Mushimiyimana took the third position at the grand finale, walking away with a brand new motorcycle.

Most of the winners have one message to the people who have not started working with banks; it is hard to grow without banking, and it is barely possible to thrive without working with banks.

When the campaign started four months ago, BK put more emphasis on encouraging people to open savings accounts as their main mission was to promote a culture of saving.

Diane Karusisi, the bank’s chief executive officer, said that the past months of the campaign were important for a bank that is trying to promote financial inclusion and bring more underserved Rwandans on board.

"Such an initiative is one of the drivers of a savings culture and financial inclusion because it attracts more people to work with banks. As more people approach banks, it becomes easier to build a wealth society,” she said during the event.

Karusisi added that it is a known notion that when people save, banks get money to lend to small and medium enterprises whose investment increases production, job creation and ultimately, national development.

The government targeted to increase financial inclusion to 80 per cent by the end of last year, and banks would be one of the key channels through which the government would pass its message.

The last FinScope survey indicated that only about 26 per cent of Rwanda’s adult population was working with banks, leaving 74 per cent of the population using alternative means to access financial services.

Meanwhile, prior to the grand finale, different participants won various prizes, including kitchenware such as fridges, gas cooker, blender, and motorcycles among other things.

BK plans to hold more initiatives that drive the growth of financial services, it said.

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