What's the electricity situation like? Do you need to have diesel generators?
Building a Software Company in Rwanda, 3 Years Later
61–70 of 81 posts
Re: Building a Software Company in Rwanda, 3 Years Later
#62Earlier quoted context omitted.
Are you entertaining visitors? If so that's something that I just might do. Long term move is right now out of the question due to other commitments.
Hah, sure! shoot me an email (username @gmail) and we can talk. It isn't cheap flying here but you can definitely crash at mine.
Ok, mail sent.
Re: Building a Software Company in Rwanda, 3 Years Later
#63OP here, happy to answer any questions peeps have on Nyaruka and our little journey.
I have been interested in your company since I first heard of it a while ago so I am glad to see it is doing well. How is the infrastructure in Rwanda with regards to ecommerce? I have investigated doing business in Kenya but two of the biggest problems there are 1) online payments are not easy since few people use credit cards and paying online with M-Pesa is clumsy, and 2) there are no street addresses so it makes…
And to look at commerce in the other direction, how is access to things you need for home/work? Say you need a new development laptop, are you going to amazon, local retain, or something else?
More on the consumables side, how's the coffee?
Re: Building a Software Company in Rwanda, 3 Years Later
#64What's the electricity situation like? Do you need to have diesel generators?
Power is fine 95% of the time, but yes outages happen though infrequently for long. We work on laptops so it isn't a huge issue, but you do learn to plan around it. (aka, keep said laptop charged)
Re: Building a Software Company in Rwanda, 3 Years Later
#65Earlier quoted context omitted.
I have been interested in your company since I first heard of it a while ago so I am glad to see it is doing well. How is the infrastructure in Rwanda with regards to ecommerce? I have investigated doing business in Kenya but two of the biggest problems there are 1) online payments are not easy since few people use credit cards and paying online with M-Pesa is clumsy, and 2) there are no street addresses so it makes…
And to look at commerce in the other direction, how is access to things you need for home/work? Say you need a new development laptop, are you going to amazon, local retain, or something else? More on the consumables side, how's the coffee?
Heh, the answer here is friends with suitcases. You can buy some electronics here, Samsung and LG have a big presence, but it is at a premium. We are an Apple shop and all MBPs were bought in the states by us or friends.
That might sound like a bad thing but it is actually one of my favorite things about living here. You are just completely separated and freed from the crazed consumer culture of the States, just because none of it is available. And you don't realize how much that frees your head space (or at least mine) until you experience it. It is a fantastic place to just get work done because there is very little to distract you, in every respect really.
Coffee is pretty great if you buy the good stuff, though really the very best gets bought up and exported.
Re: Building a Software Company in Rwanda, 3 Years Later
#66I have also lived in weird places (eg. China/Burma border) for extended periods and know exactly what you mean about cheese. We also had matoke equivalents (ie. multiple versions of starchier bananas, almost always tastier than 'normal' bananas).
Re: Building a Software Company in Rwanda, 3 Years Later
#67@nicpottier loved the post would also love to see how can we help k lab from the us? Or help in any of the other local initiatives you are doing to foster a community around tech.
Re: Building a Software Company in Rwanda, 3 Years Later
#68I never thought I'd hear an American complain about lack of good cheese. You guys have never tasted cheese! Great project anyway, very inspiring!
To be fair I spent the first half of my childhood in France, so I beg to differ. :) But like I said, after years of gouda, even cheddar starts seeming like an incredible delicacy. I even like gouda, you just need some variety!
Lived in France half his childhood and likes good cheese != American. Pines for cheddar != French. I can relate (except for the cheddar thing, especially the cheddar that American audiences are thinking of). The digital nomads are from everywhere and from nowhere, and I wonder about our children.
Re: Building a Software Company in Rwanda, 3 Years Later
#69Earlier quoted context omitted.
You mention you have two young kids. What's the education system like in general for kids in Rwanda?
I don't have a lot of experience for what school is like generally, but I can speak about it from an ex-pat's perspective. Our kids go to a Rwandan school (though a prestigious private school). It's far, far cheaper than private school in the states. Like most schools, the experience you have is highly dependent on the teacher you get, but we've been pretty lucky in that regard. In some ways the academics are a step…
I live abroad and my soon is not even a year old. I look forward to this, and the idea of having a grandson who will speaks multiple languages natively (I am English-speaking, my SO speaks Arabic natively) is very exiciting to my parents. I am waiting until he is older, but I look forward to even getting him into a language school so he will natively speak 3 or more languages.
Only if they had Chinese schools where I am . . .
Re: Building a Software Company in Rwanda, 3 Years Later
#70Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't have a lot of experience for what school is like generally, but I can speak about it from an ex-pat's perspective. Our kids go to a Rwandan school (though a prestigious private school). It's far, far cheaper than private school in the states. Like most schools, the experience you have is highly dependent on the teacher you get, but we've been pretty lucky in that regard. In some ways the academics are a step…
I live abroad and my soon is not even a year old. I look forward to this, and the idea of having a grandson who will speaks multiple languages natively (I am English-speaking, my SO speaks Arabic natively) is very exiciting to my parents. I am waiting until he is older, but I look forward to even getting him into a language school so he will natively speak 3 or more languages. Only if they had Chinese schools where I…
Move to Oakland county outside Detroit where the public schools teach Mandarin from first grade on. Even better they use teachers from China.
http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2013/03/04/news/loca...
Their long term goal is that with the entire population someday being fluent in Mandarin the area will become the first choice for Chinese manufacturing firms setting up plants in the U.S.