Nadia Uwamahoro is a ICT passionate. Founder and CEO of Digital Systems, Gira ICT and eShuri, she uses technology to making people’s lives better with her skills and resources.
By Ange Iliza
When Uwamahoro was 12 years old, her father left her in a car with a radio playing. She was tired from a day-long school, so she was looking forward to getting home faster. But her father took a long time to come back. She was bored.
As she waited, President Kagame’s speech played on a car radio. The speech would give Uwamahoro a life-long inspiration.
President Kagame’s speech was about Singapore and how the country grew from scratch, leveraged technology, and managed to become one of the world’s biggest economies in just a few decades.
The keyword for Uwamahoro was “Technology”. Her ever growing interest and passion for technology started then. Fast forward, at 34 years old, Uwamahoro is the CEO and founder of three ICT-related companies. In 2020, she was featured on Under 40 CEO ranking by Africa Renaissance.
« Naturally, I am a fun-loving person. I like to do what I love and make an impact. ICT is all that for me. I have fun doing what I love and positively impact people’s lives«
“Naturally, I am a fun-loving person. I like to do what I love and make an impact. ICT is all that for me. I have fun doing what I love and positively impact people’s lives. It is my dream come true,” Uwamahoro, who is also a mother, narrates.
Uwamahoro has created three companies that employ over 40 people in Rwanda, Uganda and Ghana. Her first was Digital Systems, a software company that creates mobile applications, including web applications from scratch. Then she founded Gira ICT, an educational platform that facilitates the distribution of academic resources such as loans, grants, and teaching videos for teachers, students and parents.
When Uwamahoro started, she noticed that the Rwandan market didn’t have enough purchasing power for her products. She has been targeting corporations and public companies since 2013.
« There is a need to increase ICT penetration further in rural areas and make it accessible »
Recently, Uwamahoro felt like the impact her companies have is limited to bigger companies. She wanted to create better lives for people who do not necessarily have access to ICT. Then, she founded eShuri.rw, an e-learning management program that connects schools’ learning systems.
“There is a need to increase ICT penetration further in rural areas and make it accessible. eShuri offers an e-learning platform with free courses. Our target is to help people access useful subjects and learn convenient skills free of charge,” Uwamahoro explains.
All the three companies have been recognized and awarded with various organizations, with the recent award that was given by UNESCO to eShuri. Digital Systems have now reached more than 600 schools in Rwanda.
Gira ICT, which also has a shopping web platform, partners with electronic manufacturing companies such as Samsung and KONKA. The platform offers electronic appliances on loan to facilitate clients with a small income.
“A Rwandan dream”
Uwamahoro regards her achievements as the “Rwandan dream,”. As a Rwanda female young CEO, she was preconditioned to face challenges.
“I remember when I started, whenever I would tell a foreigner that I am a Rwandan, their first reaction would be asking questions about the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Today, everyone wants to know about Rwanda, do business in Rwanda or with a Rwandan or come to Rwanda.
Being able to remember the bitter history Rwanda had and reaching where we are now is a miracle. As a businessperson, leveraging on that miracle and creating, even more, is a Rwandan dream,” Uwamahoro narrates.
Uwamahoro has the vision to create an ICT company that changes people’s lives for the better with an expanded reach. She aspires to reach as many students, teachers, informal sector businesses, and young people as possible and use ICT to open opportunity doors for them.
One of the perks of doing ICT business in Rwanda for Uwamahoro is the fact that the Rwandan market has insufficient purchasing power and increasing competition.
“The competition is tight because when it comes to technology business, Rwanda is among the most welcoming African countries, Yet the market is too small. The strategy is to expand to more African countries,” she explains.
« Covid-19 created demand for ICT«
Covid-19 was a two-fold experience. Our clients were of course devastated by the pandemic, but our sales increased because everyone realized they need ICT in the form of a phone, laptop, or internet.
“We even added new products during the pandemic. We started providing the internet in addition to just appliances. We started interacting with our clients more and providing for them. It was an eye-opening experience for me as an entrepreneur,” Uwamahoro said.
Uwamahoro’s passion is not limited to ICT. She plans to divide her passion between playing basketball, fashion, and beauty business. She believes loving what she does is the main key to succeeding.
