A new mobile application designed to help users learn, improve, and preserve Kinyarwanda is in its initial testing stage before it is available on application stores, according to Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy. The app, called Tumenye Ikinyarwanda, offers interactive writing exercises, corrects sentence structures and common errors. It also teaches greetings, and proverbs. The app includes 407 lessons, with continuous updates planned to introduce more content. The developers have also assured that the application will continue to evolve, incorporating improvements as challenges or new ideas emerge. ALSO READ: Reviving Kinyarwanda will require more than speaking it The app was unveiled by the heritage academy on Tuesday, February 18, at an event held in preparation of the International Mother Language Day on February 21. The application provides a range of language-learning tools that cover greetings and their appropriate responses, family relationship terms, appropriate usage of common sayings, identification and correction of language mistakes often made by younger speakers, proverbs, and interactive exercises that allow users to track their progress in language skills. It aims to improve the understanding and use of Kinyarwanda while also preserving its traditional aspects. ALSO READ: Kinyarwanda: What we lose by not speaking native language According to Robert Masozera, the Director of Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy, the app is part of a broader initiative to preserve Rwanda’s linguistic and cultural heritage. “With access to smartphones increasing in Rwanda, especially among the youth, this app provides an opportunity for people to identify and correct common Kinyarwanda errors. Kinyarwanda is not just a means of communication; it is a heritage, carrying traditional values and history. This initiative ensures its proper use and preservation.” Masozera highlighted several challenges threatening Kinyarwanda, including mixing it with foreign languages in everyday speech, improper sentence construction and word usage, and a declining appreciation of the language. Some Rwandans raised in foreign struggle with fluent and proper Kinyarwanda, potentially passing on incorrect usage to younger generations. ALSO READ: Rwandans urged to elevate Kinyarwanda to its rightful place Masozera said measures are in place to address these challenges and preserve Kinyarwanda’s status as Rwanda’s primary language. The heritage academy is also developing language-use guidelines to ensure Kinyarwanda maintains its value across different sectors, including family settings, schools, media, justice, and business. The guidelines will help prioritize Kinyarwanda use in formal settings where appropriate, encourage correct usage in artistic and media productions, and promote the language’s proper use in official communications and daily interactions. “For example, at conferences where most of the audiences are Rwandans, Kinyarwanda should be prioritized over foreign languages,” Masozera said. He also noted that the guidelines would not interfere with artistic creativity but would help ensure the proper use of Kinyarwanda in various fields. ALSO READ: New specialised Kinyarwanda dictionary on economy, finance unveiled Jean-Bosco Rushingabigwi, the Head of Media Sector Coordination and Monitoring Department at Rwanda Governance Board, emphasized that language shapes identity, values, and societal cohesion. “Kinyarwanda is more than just a means of communication, it connects individuals to integrity, patriotism, and unity, among other values. Language fosters social bonds and must be protected and promoted,” Rushingabigwi said. “When you speak Kinyarwanda, you embrace the identity and unity of being Rwandan, fostering connections like greeting your peers rather than the growing trend where neighbors no longer know each other. Language shapes behavior; the language you speak determines the news channels you watch, the culture and values you adopt, and even the markets you turn to for everyday shopping.” ALSO READ: Could embracing Kinyarwanda unlock Rwanda's youth innovation on massive scale? Rushingabigwi emphasized that the challenges lie in listening to and speaking Kinyarwanda, but especially in writing, where some letters are omitted, altering their meaning. He urged parents to set an example by using correct Kinyarwanda at home and encouraging children to use their mother tongue. He also called on the media to lead by example in promoting proper Kinyarwanda usage.
