Latest news with #DigiTruck
The Star
a day ago
- Business
- The Star
China's Huawei launches ICT competition in Uganda to empower local talent
KAMPALA, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese technology giant Huawei on Monday launched the nationwide 2025-2026 information communication technology (ICT) competition in Uganda to boost local talent. Huawei said in a statement that the competition aims at encouraging young talent to excel through structured training, industry-level exposure, and competitions, while driving digital transformation. Under the theme of "Connection, Glory, Future," the competition is expected to gather higher educational institutions, training institutions, and technology enthusiasts to help the ICT talent ecosystem thrive. While launching the competition, Uganda's Minister of Education and Sports Janet Museveni hailed China and the technology giant for partnering with Uganda in the field of ICT. "Our young people have not only participated in the Huawei programs, in and out of the country, but they have also excelled," said the minister. Zhang Lizhong, Chinese ambassador to Uganda, commended Huawei for its commitment to Uganda's ICT talent ecosystem and the company's initiatives like DigiTruck, Seeds for the Future, ICT Academy, and ICT Competition, which bridge the digital skills gap. Huawei's Eastern Africa Multi-Country Regional Chief Executive Dong Xuefeng said embracing technology is instrumental in encouraging digital growth and fostering environments where innovation can thrive. Blessed Nanyonga, a beneficiary of the Seeds for the Future program, said the program has given them hands-on experience in emerging technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, networking, and problem-solving, enabling them to develop innovative solutions to real-world challenges. "We cannot wait to apply the knowledge and insights gained from this program to contribute to sustainable development, social impact, and youth empowerment in Uganda. Surely as Ugandans, we are not being left behind," Nanyonga said.
The Star
4 days ago
- Business
- The Star
160 Kenyan youth graduate from Huawei-sponsored digital skills program
NAIROBI, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Some 160 rural youth from Nyamira County in western Kenya graduated Friday from a digital skill training program sponsored by Chinese telecoms firm Huawei, boosting their employability in an increasingly digital economy. The four-week-long course was delivered via Huawei's DigiTruck, a mobile, solar-powered digital classroom that travels to remote areas, offering free information and communications technology training to youth, women, and small business owners. During the training, participants gained skills in basic computer applications, online job searches, digital marketing, and curriculum vitae writing to help them compete in the modern workplace. Winnie Chepkonga, corporate social responsibility coordinator at Huawei Kenya, said the DigiTruck has been closing the rural-urban digital gap since its launch in 2019, empowering youth and sparking innovation. "We are thrilled to see the tangible impact the DigiTruck is having on youth empowerment across Kenya," Chepkonga said in a statement issued in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, reaffirming Huawei's commitment to digital inclusion and skills development. Irene Mayaka, a lawmaker from Nyamira County, said that the training had boosted the confidence of local youth, enabling them to navigate a knowledge-driven future. Since 2019, the DigiTruck program has trained more than 9,000 youth across 39 counties in Kenya, awarding certificates and promoting innovation, creativity, and problem-solving, Huawei said. A 2023 World Bank report found that only 38 percent of rural Kenyan youth have basic ICT skills, compared to 67 percent in urban areas. Another World Bank study, the Future Workforce report, projects that by 2030, over 60 percent of jobs in Kenya will require advanced digital and cognitive skills, underscoring the urgency of such initiatives.
Associated Press
10-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Huawei Calls to Expand Open Innovation and Collaboration to Prevent New Digital Divide
BARCELONA, Spain, March 10, 2025 /CNW/ -- At the Huawei ICT Sustainability Roundtable held at MWC Barcelona 2025, Huawei called on policymakers and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry stakeholders to expand open innovation and collaboration to ensure that a new digital divide does not emerge due to rapid advances in AI over the past few years. In his opening address, Huawei Rotating Chairman Ken Hu emphasized that digital technologies and partnerships are helping to drive sustainable change for people and the planet, citing examples from Huawei's TECH4ALL program. Nevertheless, Hu stressed that governments and the ICT industry must expand collaborative platforms to ensure that no one is left behind in the digital world. 'As AI makes the world more intelligent, we are likely to see a new digital divide. We need to pay attention to this and work together to bridge the gap,' said Ken Hu, Rotating Chairman for Huawei. 'We need policymakers to build more inclusive institutional frameworks and more tech companies to embrace open innovation. We need to work together to build more open platforms for collaboration.' To explore how this is being approached in practice, the ICT Sustainability Roundtable brought together global experts and Huawei TECH4ALL partners to showcase how collaborative digital inclusion projects can equip underserved communities with the skills needed to embrace the digital world. Representing the Kenyan government, Eng. John Tanui CBS emphasized how working with partners such as Huawei align with Kenya Vision 2030 by driving digital economic development through digital infrastructure rollout, digitized government services, and digital skills training for remote and rural communities. For example, the Huawei TECH4ALL DigiTruck - a mobile classroom mounted on the back of a truck - has provided training for nearly 6,000 Kenyan youth since 2019. 'In Kenya, we believe no one should be left behind. That's why Huawei is a strategic partner in upscaling digital skills through initiatives like TECH4ALL, which we leverage to drive digital inclusion,' said Eng John Tanui CBS, Principal Secretary for the State Department of ICT and Digital Economy for Kenya. 'With mobile DigiTrucks, we have been able to train young people on smartphone functionality, online risks, responsible Internet use, and securing online accounts and resources for learning.' The 2024 DigiTruck Digital Literacy Skills Program Evaluation Report released by the Kenyan government shows that 93% of DigiTruck trainees improved their work capabilities due to the training. The report also reveals higher employment rates among former trainees, alongside significantly increased Internet use for business activities such as e-commerce. Kenya DigiTruck project partner GSMA also highlighted the value of the DigiTruck's mobility in reaching extremely remote communities. Universal Service Fund Pakistan (USF) explored how collaboration with the Pakistani government, Huawei, and ITU-D is transforming rural villages through TECH4ALL Smart Village Pakistan projects, which bring connectivity, e-education, and e-health initiatives to local communities coupled with digital skills training. UNESCO and Spain's University of Alicante focused on global digital skills development, including collaboration with Huawei ICT Academy to develop the next generation of ICT talent. In the area of nature conservation, International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) introduced how ICT is redefining nature conservation through the IUCN-Huawei TECH4ALL Tech4Nature global partnership, which has supported 13 flagship projects in 11 countries with innovative tech solutions for protected areas. A commonality among all of the projects explored at the roundtable is the emphasis on technological innovation and cross-sector partnerships, an approach that is crucial for leveraging the power of ICT to enable an inclusive and sustainable digital world. About TECH4ALL TECH4ALL is Huawei's long-term digital inclusion initiative and action plan. Enabled by innovative technologies and partnerships, TECH4ALL is designed to enable inclusion and sustainability in the digital world.
