On completing architectural studies at the International University of East Africa, Ignace Ruzigande longed to transform the construction industry and make it affordable for everyone. With this cause, he created ‘SiteKash’ in 2020, a mobile app designed to help users reduce the cost of construction projects. According to the 30-year-old, the app provides the exact amount of material, equipment, and labour needed to build, it also enables users to access diverse hardware stores for price comparison. He says the app saves one the time of moving from one hardware store to another as they can access them wherever they are. “I discovered that for most people who are building their first homes, there is a lack of knowledge on the construction industry which results in higher costs, yet all they want is to own dream homes while focusing on their careers. There is a need for a simple digital tool that helps reduce construction project costs and allows a user to build stress-free,” he says. The architect says that SiteKash’s primary service is to give the quantity of material, equipment, and labour needed to build. For example, when one is about to build a foundation, the company gives them the proper quantity of stones, cement, and sand among other materials, and of high quality. He adds that he offers clients the budget of how much money to pay the workers, which goes to all building stages from foundation to painting. Ruzigande says that the app also helps a user track expenses on a construction site. For now, the process is smooth as the app is being used at different construction sites, and the feedback is heartening, he says. He is looking forward to perfecting the app for better user experience. The architect says the company hasn’t spread yet to other parts of the country, all the construction sites where the app is used are located in Kigali. “We are adjusting our app and increasing staff from six so as to serve as many construction sites as possible in Rwanda and across Africa,” he says. Ruzigande adds that the construction industry is among the less digitised industries and is ‘rocket science’ to many yet it is everyone’s dream to own a home or property, which is why the app is aimed at smoothening the construction industry, for almost everyone to fulfil their dreams of owning houses. “We wanted to curb issues such as theft of construction materials by workers, failure to find the right building site, sudden delays, unexpected expenses, poor communication, poor management of documents such as receipts, lack of skilled workforce, irregular equipment maintenance, lack of consistent subcontractors, and much more,” he says. Although the cost of building is increasing day by day resulting in many people losing the hope of owning a home, Ruzigande’s future plan is to resurrect the hope that owning a home is possible. He says that most people fall in the hands of inexpert contractors who know little about construction, thus making poor decisions. When asked to shed some light on the construction industry locally, he says that it is developing fast, as new materials are introduced, and there are novel construction techniques. His vision is to inspire a generation to build eco-friendly homes for themselves.
