Airtel Rwanda has partnered with the Rwanda Extractive Industry Workers Union (REWU) to expand access to affordable telecommunications and mobile financial services for mine workers, their families and communities living near mining sites.
The agreement aims to encourage the use of mobile money and digital payments while making communication services more accessible to people in mining areas.
Airtel Rwanda Managing Director Sujay Chakrabarti said the partnership would enable REWU to use Airtel Money in its daily operations, citing the convenience and affordability of digital transactions compared with other payment methods.
Under the arrangement, eligible beneficiaries are expected to access affordable mobile phones and Airtel services, including SIM cards, voice calls, internet packages and Airtel Money.
REWU Secretary General Eng. André Mutsindashyaka said the initiative would create opportunities for workers and their families to use digital services in their daily lives, transfer money and participate in the digital economy.
He said the union wanted to help mining workers and their households access affordable telecommunications and phone-based financial services, making payments easier.
The partnership is also expected to benefit small traders and other residents in mining communities by encouraging the use of digital payments for personal and business transactions.
The partnership will extend REWU’s work on workers’ welfare to include access to mobile communication and financial services for members and their families.
