Germain Nsanzimana<\/b><\/p>\n
Africa-Press – Rwanda. <\/strong><\/span>Women cross-border traders in Rubavu District have been advised to embrace digital payment as part of their daily business activities.<\/p>\n About 50 women whose business falls under small-scale cross-border trade completed a three-day training on Thursday, August 10 aimed at equipping them with digital awareness.<\/p>\n Organised by Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) in partnership with Imbaraga Farmers Organization, under Digital Financial Inclusion for MSMEs, the training encourages cross-border traders to go cashless and engage in digital platforms in their business so as to mitigate day-to-day challenges like theft, money exchange and counterfeit money.<\/p>\n During the training the 50 women traders were urged to embrace digital payment as part of their daily business<\/p>\n The training runs across the eight member states, which are, Egypt, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, and Zambia.<\/p>\n According to COMESA Business Council, 60 per cent of women are engaged in cross-border trade while men stand at 40 per cent.<\/p>\n In Africa, present data shows that around 400 million adults find themselves excluded from financial services, with women constituting 60 per cent of this demographic.<\/p>\n Peruse Gakure, 60, Gisenyi sector, and Judith Cyimanimpaye, 23, Rubavu sector are vegetable and fruit retailers. Their business comprises crossing into Goma town via Petite Barrie\u0300re border post.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have been trained on how we can sell our products online. It\u2019s something good for business that becomes easier. It doesn\u2019t take much time and does not require rent for storage,\u201d said Cyimanimpaye<\/p>\n \u201cWe now understand that WhatsApp groups can support and increase our business as online marketing. We have also received awareness on working with financial institutions.\u201d<\/p>\n “I sell perishable vegetables but with this new digital knowledge, I will be able to take photos, post and make delivery at the right time, which is different from the way I was doing my business,\u201d Gakure added.<\/p>\n For Juvenal Musine, the programme manager for Imbaraga Famers Organization, digital awareness \u201csupports cross-border traders in information sharing and becoming professionals\u201d for a profitable business.<\/p>\n Participants follow a presentation during a three -day training session that aimed at equipping them with digital awareness. Photos by Germain Nsanzimana<\/p>\n According to Chief Information Officer – FDI Programmefor COMESA Business Council, Yoseph Wondimu, such capacity-building is \u201ccrucial to enable the wider adoption of digital financial services in the region.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA portion of these women lack access to smartphones but the majority of them have chosen to allocate their travel allowances from the training towards acquiring them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n He added that COMESA Business Council is actively involved in initiatives aimed at enhancing digital trade for cross-border traders.<\/p>\n The training encourages cross-border traders to go cashless and engage in digital platforms in their business so as to mitigate day-to-day challenges like theft, money exchange and counterfeit money.<\/p>\n Some of 50 women whose business falls under small-scale cross-border trade completed a three-day training on Thursday, August 10<\/p>\n\r\n