New Artel donates ICT equipment

Internet service provider New Artel Friday donated internet café equipment worth over Rwf 7 million to a Kimironko Genocide survivors’ association known as “Tubeho”. The equipment include computers and their accessories as well as wireless internet connection for a period of one year which, according to the New Artel Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Francis Karemera, will be extended depending on the benefit that it will be generating to the association. The CEO said the company decided to donate the internet project to keep the association members generating income and help them be self-reliant. “If put to good use, this internet café will benefit these survivors as it will be used even by the neighboring citizens instead of travelling to look for internet. They will be paying money that will uplift the association’s members,” he said. The president of the association, Riberal Majyambere, thanked the New Artel for the initiative to help them uplift their lives. “It is not like giving us rice that will end in one week. This will keep on generating income and we assure you that next time we shall be enjoying the fruits of this donation,” he said. The association “Tubeho” is made up of different categories of survivors, including students in high school and universities. Some of the students said that the internet café is a response for their needs and interest in ICT. “This is going to help me update myself as now things keep on changing especially in ICT. It will help me get new updates in my computer science career,” said Réné Mbonigaba who completed his secondary school last year in Computer Science. “Tubeho” association was created in 2002 by 84 families of orphans of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsis with more than 300 persons. New Artel is an internet services provider using various technologies including VSAT and DVBS, the new technologies for satellite communication.