On 4th of May 2015, RTN signed a memorandum of understanding with Ministry of youth and ICT (MYICT) related to the increase of ICT services to the community. Specifically, the purpose of the MOU is to re-brand existing private ICT access point under RTN flagship into “Irembo centres” so as to promote and re-use them as recognized places where the citizens shall converge to access e-government services such as application for passport, application for criminal record certificates, land records, birth certificates ect… The MOU seeks also to expand Irembo Network by establishing more ICT access points across Rwanda.
The partnership with Ministry of ICT and youth goes in line with RTN goal which is to facilitate the deployment of lower cost, sustainable and easily scalable community access points to ICTs in Rwanda. Ultimately, RTN envisages increasing the number, value and impact of Telecentres at the community level.
In 2012, RTN launched a project to facilitate the deployment of 1,000 Telecentre. However, the implementation was delayed to due lack of suitable content and services needed by local community and hence affecting the financial sustainability of Telecentres.RTN strongly believe that the “Irembo platform” which is an e-government platform aggregating key government services will a answer to financial sustainability of Telecentres.