Airtel Africa Foundation partners with the ITU, RISA & Cisco to boost digital skills development in Rwanda
Airtel Africa Foundation has partnered on a Joint Initiative with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA) and Cisco on capacity and digital skills development, under the Digital Transformation Centres (DTC) Initiative.
This partnership aims to bridge the digital divide and promote digital inclusion by providing free Internet connectivity and digital skills training to underserved communities in Rwanda, in connection with the advancement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
ITU will provide digital skills training content to the DTCs under the Initiative along with other ITU regional capacity development activities. In addition, ITU will facilitate networking opportunities related to promoting digital literacy and inclusion, which will enable access to expertise and best practices.
Speaking to the press, Sujay Chakrabarti, Airtel Rwanda Managing Director said the partnership between the Airtel Africa Foundation, ITU, RISA, and Cisco marks a significant step forward in bridging the digital divide and empowering Rwandan youth with digital skills. “This partnership is a powerful example of what happens when government, private sector, and international organizations come together to empower communities”.
The Airtel Africa Foundation, through Airtel Rwanda, will equip DTC locations with routers, Wi-Fi and data packages at no cost, ensuring the effective rollout of training and access to digital educational platforms. “This partnership reflects our commitment to supporting national development goals and closing the digital divide through meaningful collaboration,” said Ms. Esi Asare Prah, Head of Programs at Airtel Africa Foundation on behalf of Dr Segun Ogunsaya, Chair of the Airtel Africa Foundation.
Antoine Sebera, CEO of Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA) said “What we are seeing here today is partnership in action. Statistics show that 900 million people in Africa remain unconnected, extra effort needs to be made to make sure that no one is left behind. This positions Rwanda a step ahead by being intentional to involve the youth. These centres are going to play a transformative role in educating the youth to leverage AI. Digital Transformation is driving the world and Africa or Rwanda can not be left behind.
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