It's 1 AM. My night hustle just ended. My eyes are burning, but I'm not sleeping. I'm staring at my laptop, refining Seruka — because Rwandans deserve a travel platform built for them, not an afterthought of Expedia or Booking.com.

I'm a university student. No rich parents. No safety net. Between lectures and a side hustle that keeps my bills paid, I'm building a travel platform for East Africa. Some people call it crazy. I call it necessary.

The reality nobody talks about

When you're building a startup with zero budget, you can't outspend the competition — so you have to outwork them. While big platforms spend millions on glossy ads, I personally answer every customer inquiry. I know my users by name. I know their routes, their budgets, their travel dreams. That's something no funded startup can replicate.

There have been nights I wanted to quit. Nights when I couldn't afford extra data and had to code from the campus Wi‑Fi after midnight. But then a message comes in: "Olivier, I just booked Kigali–Nairobi through Seruka and saved 150k RWF compared to other sites." That feeling? That's fuel.

“Every booking you make helps a student founder keep going. That's not a marketing line. It's my reality.”

What Seruka actually offers today

While I'm grinding through the night, Seruka isn't just an idea. It's a real platform with real power under the hood:

We're powered by the same technology as global travel giants — Amadeus and RateHawk — meaning I can offer you real flights, real hotels, and real value. And because I'm a student who understands tight budgets, I'm obsessed with finding you the best deal, not the most expensive one.

Why I'm writing this from Kigali

East Africa is on the move. More Rwandans are traveling for business, education, and leisure than ever before. But most booking platforms feel cold, foreign, and disconnected from our reality. Seruka is different. It's built by a local, for locals — with the goal of making travel seamless, affordable, and human.

A small win that changed everything

Last month, a student messaged me at 11 PM, panicking because she needed a last‑minute flight to Nairobi for a family emergency. Expedia showed 450,000 RWF. I dug through Seruka's system and found her a seat for 310,000 RWF. She booked, she cried, and honestly? I almost cried too. That's the moment I knew: this isn't just a side project. This is purpose.

How you can help (without donating a cent)

I'm not here for sympathy. I'm here because I believe Seruka can become the travel home for East Africa. And you can be part of that journey simply by traveling smarter:

• 🌍 Book your next flight or hotel through seruka.rw — you'll get great rates, and I'll get one step closer to sustainability.
• 📢 Share this story with one friend who travels often. Word of mouth is my only marketing budget.
• 💬 DM me on Instagram or WhatsApp if you have feedback or need a personal travel assistant. I reply to every single message.

What's next for Seruka?

I'm expanding our blog to help Rwandans travel smarter — visa guides, budget tips, and hidden destinations in East Africa. I'm also working on a loyalty program that actually rewards repeat travelers, not just corporate elites. And most importantly, I'm staying relentless. No investors? No problem. I'll earn every customer one conversation at a time.

If you've made it this far, thank you. You're not just reading a blog post. You're witnessing the early days of something built on grit, late nights, and a stubborn belief that local innovation can win.

I'm Olivier. I'm building Seruka for all of us. 🇷🇼

— First published on the Seruka blog, Kigali. No AI fluff, just raw founder truth.