BPR in new drive to promote savings culture

BPR has launched a campaign that seeks to enhance its deposits and promote a savings culture among Rwandans. The campaign dubbed “Hirwa ugwize na BPR” is designed to educate BPR customers and the general public on the importance of embracing a culture of saving, said Eric Rutabana, the head of corporate and investment banking at BPR.

Tuesday, June 20, 2017
A BPR employee (middle) sensitising Kigali residents about saving.

BPR has launched a campaign that seeks to enhance its deposits and promote a savings culture among Rwandans.

The campaign dubbed "Hirwa ugwize na BPR” is designed to educate BPR customers and the general public on the importance of embracing a culture of saving, said  Eric Rutabana, the head  of corporate and  investment banking at BPR.

BPR clients who will deposit a minimum of Rwf100,000 on their current accounts, starting Monday June 19 and maintain it throughout the campaign period stand to win attractive cash and other prizes.

"Customers that will maintain Rwf100,000 or more on their accounts stand to win part of the Rwf8 million cash prizes as well as other different prizes, including fully-connected smartphones with Internet and voice subscription, water pumps, bicycles, fridges, and smart TVs and decoders with one month subscription,” Rutabana said during the launch of the three-month drive on Monday in Kigali.

BPR, which is part of Atlas Mara, offers a wide range of savings facilities with accounts such as Abana, a junior savings account; Giricumbi, which is saving to build a house; Hirwa, a savings account where one can save any amount of money, Gwiza, where one deposits money to undertake a specific goal.

Rutabana speaks at the launch.

"During the campaign, customers who will have deposited many times will be rewarded on a weekly and monthly basis through raffle draws. The lucky winners will either be announced through different media or directly called on their mobile phones,” Rutabana told The New Times.

Tom Close, a celebrated local artiste, will be BPR’s brand ambassador and will participate in most of the roadshows and performances across the country educating the public on saving and financial literacy, according to the bank.

The banks launched a new mobile application last month to boost efficiency and revolutionalise the way it serves its clientele. The platform is part of BPR’s digital plan to position itself as a premier financial institution in the country and will allow it to tap into the unbanked segment of the population, thus enhance financial inclusion.

Last month, BPR was recognised as the "best bank” in Rwanda at annual the Banker Africa 2017 Awards for East African region in Nairobi, Kenya.

The annual awards are organised by CPI Financial, the publishers of Banker Africa magazine and seek to recognise outstanding performance and excellence in the financial services industry.