Rwandese company SAFIRUN, mostly known for pioneering eco-friendly delivery and logistics services in Kigali, has been working on various green-transport solutions for goods and services using electric scooters, electric bikes, and electric vans over the past four years. On the micromobility side, sister firm GURARIDE, a green e-mobility public bike-share (PBS) transport system company, has been scaling up operations in Rwanda. GURARIDE combines smart bikes, electric scooters, and electric bike-sharing in a single app to enable users to choose their ride preference.
GURARIDE wants to take over the first and last mile transport industries across Africa. Another sister firm, SAFI, assembles electric motorcycles and scooters in Rwanda. Its other sister company, SAFI UNIVERSAL LINK, is rolling out its charging station infrastructure as EVPLUGIN in Rwanda. EVPLUGIN is a public EV charging station solutions network company in Africa, with a focus on facilitating the migration from fossil fuel transportation to green electric mobility.
SAFIRUN has been carrying deliveries for various merchants using its short code 3040 as well as offering different logistics solutions to local businesses and consumers using its electric fleet. Its new multipurpose smartphone app (Android & iOS) allows users to place service requests, real time delivery tracking, and provide instant service feedback. The services include courier services, food delivery, pharmaceuticals and essentials, groceries, wines, and spirits, parcels delivery, and special or urgent pick-n-drop services.
The SAFIRUN SuperApp wants to help to redefine e-commerce for both customers and different local businesses. Users will have access to over 12 service categories in one single app. The super-app will facilitate the delivery of commodities like food, fashion, and pharmaceuticals, and will also provide a wide range of services ranging from ‘pick-and-drop’ and booking hotels or apartments, to hiring professionals like plumbers, landscapers, and other artisans for both professional and private work.
The SAFIRUN Super-App is also introducing an in-app cashless money transfer service called the SAFIRUN E-Wallet, where peers or colleagues can exchange virtual money within the app through their registered SAFIRUN accounts in an effort to promote a cashless economy and compliment Covid-19 prevention measures. The company offers reward points that translate into spendable virtual money on every transaction carried out using the SAFIRUN E-Wallet.
During the earlier pilot phases, SAFURUN achieved over 30,000 deliveries and covered more than 26,000 km in just 2 quarters of 2021 while creating 65 jobs. SAFIRUN is eyeing fleet expansion by the end of the second quarter of 2022 with an additional 80 green jobs created by the end of 2022’s second quarter. Aligning its expansion goals with the foreseen demand, SAFIRUN is determined to also prioritize gender inclusion and women empowerment through engagement in delivery and logistics services while also generating new employment opportunities for Rwandan youths.
All images courtesy of SAFIRUN
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