General Information:
Rwandans are some of the friendliest people you will ever meet! They are very hospitable, do not hesitate to reach out to anyone in case you may need help. As long as the person understands the language, we are quite sure that you will get the help you need. Rwandans have only one local language KINYARWANDA (make sure you go home knowing some words like Bite to say Hi and Murakoze to say thank you! But also, most people in Kigali speak either English, French, or Swahili.
Time
The time in Rwanda is Central African Time (GMT+2).
Security
25 years after the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi tragedy, Rwanda has, against all odds, reunited and rebuilt its politics, safety, and economy. We are, to date, known as one of the safest countries in Africa and the world. You may see soldiers or police officers walking around in Kigali, but that is nothing you have to worry about; you can even
say hi to them.
Cleanness
Rwanda is among the cleanest countries so please remember:
• You can only dispose of waste in designated dustbins.
• If you cannot find one nearby, please keep waste until you find one.
• We understand that most of the time you will be sleeping late, and you have to wake up early for the sessions but please, don’t forget to keep your room clean.
Smoking
Rwanda inaugurated a comprehensive public smoking ban in 2013, meaning it’s illegal to smoke in public places, namely restaurants, hotels, bars, public transport, cinemas, and indoor public transport terminals.
There will be a designated smoking area at the Meeting venue. It is forbidden to smoke anywhere else rather than the smoking area (Rooms, Session Rooms, Social events etc....)
Note: The government of Rwanda strictly prohibits the use of the following smoking products: Shisha(Hookah), Cannabis, and cocaine.
Alcohol
As long as you are above 18 years old, you can drink alcoholic beverages. However, being drunk in public places is unacceptable and is against Rwandan government laws.
Health
● It happens that some people don’t feel well when they change their environment, But don’t worry! We will be having a first aid medical team at the conference venue. Whenever you feel unwell, please inform any oc member (They will be wearing OC T-shirts).
● If further care is needed, the OC might help you with transport to and from the hospital, but the delegate will cover the totality of their care cost. It is for that reason that we highly recommend you to get travel health insurance otherwise you will cover the cost at 100%.
● In case of emergency or accident directly call Hotline: 912 or 1112
● Rwanda is in the Malaria endemic area, so we recommend taking prophylaxis of Malaria to people coming from non-endemic areas.
General Information
● Maintain strict hand hygiene. Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially before eating.
● A delegate can choose to take along a supply of pocket-size hand sanitizers (it should contain at least 60%alcohol).
● Eat and drink safely: Ensure that your food and water are from trusted sources and fruits are thoroughly washed before eating.
● Comfortable clothing: Although the temperature is projected to be friendly, the temperatures at the meeting venue may vary between 18oC and 27oC. Please take along comfortable clothing.
● There are several pharmacies nearby the hotel and open mostly during day hours, with few others working 24/7 on rotation basis.
● We have three referral hospitals in Kigali. Just in case you need services, you can reach out to them through:
○ King Faisal Hospital: 3938 or +250 788307561
○ Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Kigali/CHUK: +250 788868240
○ Kanombe Military Hospital: +250 788305703
Rwandan Currency
● The Unit of currency is the Rwandan Franc (RWF) which is divided into 100 centimes.
● Exchange rates are subject to fluctuation. Currently, 1 USD is approximately equivalent to 930 RWF. 1 EURO is approximately equivalent to 1,020.
● If you are not getting time to get to the city center for changing your money, you can do it right away at the Airport or better at the hotel itself!
Banking Services
Banking hours are from 08:00 to 18:00 on weekdays and from 08:00 to 15:00 on Saturdays. Banking amenities are available at all commercial banks; local and regional banks hold agreements with a variety of credit card networks. Most internationally recognized currencies and travelers’ cheques can be exchanged at commercial banks, hotels, and international airports. Major credit cards are accepted in most hotels, restaurants and shops.
Emergency Services
In case of emergency, please refer to the telephone numbers listed be-
low.
Fire Brigade (Toll-Free): 111 or +250 788 311 224
Ambulance (Toll-Free): 912
General Assistance: 997
Business and Shopping Hours
Public Offices open from 07:00 to 17:00 while businesses open from 8:00 to
18:00, Monday to Friday. Opening times on weekends for a business range between 09:00 to 22:00.
Moving
Vehicles circulate on the right side of the road. There is no strict rule of direction for the sidewalk, people use whichever side. So, if you are from a country where there are different regulations, better to pay attention when crossing streets for your safety. There are multiple zebra crossing along the roads, Many of them do not have traffic lights, in this case when crossing the road make sure you survey both directions that no cars are coming before crossing. Some places do not have zebra cross-
ing though, Tip: use the said strategy.
Internet
There will be accessible internet at the conference venue for everyone to access. However, In case you want personal internet, you can buy a sim card with 3G or 4G internet from a telecommunication service provider both at the hotel and at the airport. It is really cheap and we all use it. Note: Every Purchased sim card has to be registered to the Sim Card owner.
Power Outlet Adapter
In Rwanda, the power plugs and sockets are of type C and J. The standard voltage is 230 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz. So you may need an adapter or a voltage converter. kindly check the picture below and pack accordingly. Hint: In your bedrooms and elsewhere in the hotel only the 2nd type is available, but in session rooms, both types will be available.