The Local Administrative Entities Development Agency (LODA) has rolled out a new campaign dubbed “My Phone, My Money”, designed to help beneficiaries of the Vision 2020 Umurenge Program (VUP) link their SACCO accounts with SIM cards registered in their names.
The initiative, already piloted in the districts of Burera, Nyamagabe, and Rusizi, aims to promote digital payments among VUP beneficiaries. Residents say it has made it easier for them to receive government support, deposit and withdraw money, and pay for services directly through their phones — a safer and more convenient system.
In Gicumbi District, locals praised the program for saving them long trips to SACCO branches, reducing the risk of losing money, and eliminating long queues. They added that the time and transport costs they used to spend will now be invested in other income-generating activities, supporting their journey toward self-reliance.
While visiting Mutete Sector in Gicumbi on Saturday, August 30, 2025, LODA Director General Claudine Nyinawagaga said linking SACCO accounts with SIM cards will cut losses previously incurred during transactions and speed up the government’s goal of lifting citizens out of poverty.
She noted: “Think about it in numbers: if you used to spend one hour going to SACCO and another returning, you now save two hours to use for more productive work.”
One of the early adopters, Anatole Bagirubwira, said the new system transformed his experience. “I used to spend nearly three hours just reaching SACCO, losing both time and money on the way. Now I can access services faster and more easily, and it has already improved my life,” he said.
