SANGWA RWABUHIHI: Founder of HINO Designs and App Developer of ‘Styleguide Afropolitan’ Batulandak.info

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Sangwa Rwabuhihi, Founder of HINO Designs and App Developer of ‘Styleguide Afropolitan’. 

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Sangwa Rwabuhihi is the youthful founder of Hino Designs, a software company that specializes in user
interface design, and that manages apps such as “Styleguide Afropolitan”. 
 Sangwa is currently based in Germany where he works in the IT domain. He spoke to The Service Mag (TSM)
about his vision for Rwandan and African youth as global changers. 
TSM: What roles do you play in order to influence
change within your community?
 
SANGWA: We believe in creating ties with Germans, the kind of ties that can lead
to great business projects. Unfortunately, most Germans have been misinformed
about the reality of Rwanda and Africa at large and this starts at a very early
age. It starts with the coloring book children get at age 3, with elephants and
lions, and then comes the cartoons portraying “tribal” people in the
jungle. By the time they are 10 years, they have been involved in at least two
school projects to send 1 euro to “some poor kid in Africa” selling
cakes or making jam. This is not negative in itself and I am surely
generalizing, but what I mean here is: it’s not necessarily their fault, they
were conditioned to think in that way about us, and at the same time we have
been really bad at telling our story.
That’s why I am involved in projects that show that
Africans in Germany can be lawyers, doctors or engineers. And the continent
itself is moving forward.  It has to
start with children at elementary school level so they can grow up differently.
We in the diaspora, have a critical role to play in that.
TSM: Why is it so important to you that this
perception of Africans is changed?
SANGWA: Well, you can’t expect to find partners and start business together, if people
think of you only in terms of charity. India is not a rich country, but most
Germans will be able to see beyond India’s challenges and recognize the
potential of, for example; an Indian software engineer. Why is that? Image. 
In
fact, if you apply for a software job alongside an Indian, even if you are
better than him, there is a good chance he gets the job because of the
perception people have about India. This is the same if you compete with an
Italian stylist, or with a French cook. We should not underestimate the power
of image and perception in what we do. 
Having said that, you don’t build the
right image with just words, you have to work hard and build a reputation over
years and decades. But I believe we are on the right track, Rwandan soldiers
are known for being disciplined and efficient all over Africa and beyond, there
is no reason Rwandan engineers can’t do the same. 
TSM: What do you consider as the biggest challenge in the
ICT field?
SANGWA: Skills are definitely one of the biggest challenges. It is not easy to
find experienced software developers in Rwanda. But initiatives such as the K-Lab
are working on that, and it is quite promising.
TSM: How do you hope to overcome present challenges
through a tech/ innovation career?
SANGWA: I have decided to introduce IT in the context of the African renaissance
and the increasing number of frequent travelers we have seen in the last couple
of years. These travelers are often confronted with the issue of finding the
right information once they come out of their hotel rooms to enjoy a shopping
afternoon or go out at night. Given their limited time and their Afropolitan
identities, they have expectations that standard travel guides such as ‘Trip Advisor’
don’t really satisfy. 
The “Styleguide Afropolitan
App” is dedicated to their needs and is the kind of daily companion you would
like to have on your trips to a new African city. We are working tirelessly to
improve and we want it to become a city-oriented, trendy and truly Afropolitan
app, in terms of its philosophy and content. 
Beyond the traveling aspect, the app is bringing
forward new African creators in design, architecture, fashion, gastronomy and
other lifestyle aspects. We would like everyone to get an overview of what’s
happening over the entire continent.
TSM: What is your biggest success story and how has it
made you feel?
SANGWA: Success is a word that can be interpreted in different ways. I am not
sure I can talk about success stories, but I definitely had moments of pride—a couple
of years ago, I won the ‘Jan Stenbeck
Award’ as a young achiever, and that made me deliver a speech at a gala
dinner, in front of people like Shimon Peres, CEOs of companies such as
Starbucks, Nike and other Hollywood celebrities. It was a great moment.
TSM: What motivates you to do what you do?
SANGWA: Being a pioneer is an exciting experience, but I believe that smarter
people will come after us. We are just opening doors for younger ones and
showing that it’s possible. Jean Niyotwigara and Aphrodice Foyo, from the K-Lab
just to mention a few, are very promising people. 
Recently, while I was
attending an event in Kigali, a couple of young people came to me, and told me
how much my work inspired them and made them want to work hard. That’s probably
my biggest success story so far, there, you have it (laughs).
TSM: What are your aspirations?
SANGWA: Expanding my company and recruiting the best team. One needs to be
humble, recognize his limits and find the people that will bring in the right
skills. I am also willing to build bridges to the business community in
Germany, from large companies to dynamic young start-ups.
TSM: What is your take on service delivery in Rwanda
especially in the IT sector?
SANGWA: We are on the right path when it comes to infrastructure and creating
the right environment. I am more worried about the cost of providing services
to the outside world from Rwanda. I don’t think that is an issue as such, but
it will oblige us to produce very high-quality services, the same way as a
country like Switzerland does. That is for me a logical extension to the Rwandan
philosophy of offering 5-star quality tourism, or selling high-quality coffee. 
The IT sector will have to adapt to that philosophy at some point. We actually
don’t have much choice if we want to exist alongside countries like Ghana, Kenya
or South Africa. Having said that, I think there is a growing awareness about
the issue.
TSM: What is your message for the Rwandan youth?
SANGWA: We need to think as first-class citizens of the world. The American
software developer or the German engineer sitting next to you, is not
biologically better than you, he just had the conditions to make it happen. We
need to humbly accept the fact that we are behind and work hard to catch up,
but at the end of day, it has to start with the right mindset, as it is quite
simple: We were born to sit in the front, not in the back. 

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Up Close…

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When are you happiest?

“Nothing replaces a good meal with good friends on the
shores of Lake Kivu…”

What inspires you the most?

“I love to talk to people I meet on trains and buses.
I think it makes you see the same things with a different angle.” 

What makes you sad?

“Every time a new conflict is about to turn into a
massacre. Recent events in Central African Republic and South Sudan are quite
preoccupying.”

Favorite drink/ snack/ dish?

“I do love mafé chicken, it’s a famous Senegalese
dish. I also have nothing against a glass of white wine, preferably Pinot Gris
from the Alsace and Pfalz regions, close to where I live.”

What gadget can’t you possibly do without?

“I frankly don’t know what I would do without my
smartphone, other than that, I can survive.”

What is your Dream Car?

“Without any hesitation, the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG
all-white, and with panorama view—I also love Aston Martin Cars.”

If you had one wish, influential person would you like to meet in
person?

“I would love to meet Nigerian author Chimamanda
Adichie and British architect David Adjaye.”

Are you dating, single or married?

Dating.

What’s the most daring or craziest thing you’ve done?

“I remember being at a concert 10 years ago, and we
knew—my friends and I—that Santana would pass by at some point in front of us,
but we also knew his bodyguards would never let him stop. So as he approached,
we sang one of his songs so loudly, that he stopped, and greeted each one of
us. We couldn’t believe it.”

Contact: 
Email: glo.irie@gmail.com
Twitter: @GloriaIribagiza  
  

 

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