by TINTSWALO BALOYI
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – THE DigiTruck project, a mobile classroom aiming to bring digital technology to resource-poor regions, has received some global recognition.
Safaricom, the mobile operator, non-governmental organisation Close the Gap and Huawei, the technology company, received the Global Mobile GLOMO Award in recognition of this TECH4ALL project’s contribution to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.
The accolade has been handed at the recent Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
“This win is a remarkable recognition of our efforts together with Huawei and other partners in connecting our customers digitally,” said Peter Ndegwa, Chief Executive Officer of Safaricom.
DigiTruck was launched in Kenya for the first time in 2019.
The project aims to bring digital technology to resource-poor regions and enable people to receive quality education and improve their lives.
By the end of 2020, the project has provided services to 13 Kenyan rural areas, 1 300 students and teachers, clocked up to 22 000 hours for training.
“I am pleased to see that UNESCO and Huawei are working with our national institutions, especially those mandated by the Government of Ghana to promote the full integration of ICT into the education system,” said Yaw Osei Adutum, Kenya Minister of Education.
UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.
DigiTruck is part of Huawei’s digital inclusion initiative, TECH4ALL, aimed at using technology, applications and skills to empower people and organizations.
In Sub Saharan Africa, TECH4ALL is also carried out in South Africa, Ghana and Mauritius.
In South Africa, TECH4ALL has benefited more than 52 000 students from over 90 primary schools both in urban and rural areas.
In Mauritius, the project is using underwater cameras to monitor threatened coral reefs in real-time to protect and restore 5 hectares of the coral reef ecosystem.
In Ghana, it aims to create digital content for local teachers and
students.
Yang Chen, Vice President, Huawei Southern Africa, said information and communication technologies could help accelerate progress towards UN SDGs, especially Quality Education, Gender Equality and Climate Change.
“As a global ICT company operating in Sub Saharan Africa, we try to unlock the potential of ICTs together with our local and international partners for better life, better community, better environment and better future for people and future generations from the region,” Chen assured.
– CAJ News