The management of Bank of Kigali (BK) has pledged to keep supporting the bank’s customers based in the Eastern Province.

This was communicated during an event that gathered the management of BK and its customers based in the Eastern Province – in Kayonza, Ngoma, Kirehe and Rwamagana districts.

The event happened on Thursday, October 6 and was in line with the celebration of the Customer Service Week which aims at celebrating customer service and staff who serve and support customers on a daily basis and to promote customer service excellence within different institutions across the world.

Speaking during the event, Diane Karusisi, CEO of BK assured partnership to those with commercial activities, declaring that the bank is there for them.

"What we assure them is partnership,” she said. "They all have many beneficial projects and have experience in business. We have been working with them for years and we know how they operate. When we visit their activities and see how they have scaled up, it makes us happy. What we can tell them is that we are ready to keep supporting them to scale up.”

During the event, the bank’s customers were glad to meet BK’s management. They were also able to learn more regarding how the bank can help them and the types of loans they can secure, including those that do not require collaterals.

Charles Shimwe, a representative of the Private Sector in Kayonza District said that they need financial institutions to approach them so that they can accelerate development.

"We are on a quest to speed up development and this requires everyone’s effort. We want the bank to approach those in the private sector and study together what is needed. The opportunities are many. We need to tap into them fast by doing activities that help us to develop faster such as building modern hotels, medicinal facilities, among others,” he said.

Jeanne Nyirahabimana, Executive Secretary of the Eastern Province said BK’s plan of developing agriculture matches what the province has prioritized.

"After talking to BK,” she said. "We found out that there are services it has designated to its customers that match what we have prioritized. That includes promoting the value chain of agriculture and animal resources. There are unique opportunities for farmers. What we will do as leaders is to connect BK and those in that sector so that they can be empowered,” she said.

BK officials further added that they will continue meeting their customers in the Eastern Province and mobilise them to use technology to access services the bank offers.