Automated Savings in Rwanda

In January of 2019 we sold our home in the Netherlands and with 3 children moved to Rwanda to launch a micro-pension startup.

Changes in pension legislation pivoted our company from pensions to savings. SNAP Rwanda combines goal setting and automation to support the 400,000 coffee farmers in Rwanda with their saving habits. Our product enabled farmers to indicate what percentage of their harvest income they would save. Savings were made automatically by the coffee buyer, and were made available when the customer needed them; months after the harvest, and with interest. 

The program was funded by the Mastercard Foundation’s Fund for Rural Prosperity. When covid-19 hit Rwanda, we were forced to halt our operations. A re-launch in 2021 saw over 1,000 customers sign up and save with SNAP. Unfortunately, we were not able to continue operations due to a lack of funding and ran out of runway. 

• Built and led our team of 12 people.

• Partnership with Access Bank Rwanda and coffee company RTC Rwanda. 

• DFID funded research into re-investing (pension) savings into communities where the money was saved.

• Developed financial training & delivery model, training 1,000+. 

• 250 customers saving over $11,000 within a two month period of harvest 2021.

• Repaid each customer + interest before closing the company.