Johannesburg: AfricUpdate – NewsDesk
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. 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. The landmark partnership aligns with Rwanda’s ambition to become a knowledge-based economy and complements national programmes such as ‘Connect Rwanda’ that promote access to smartphones and digital services for underserved communities.
