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EDWIN NAIDU
IN a boost for literacy, global technology giant Huawei has joined the UNESCO Global Alliance for Literacy (GAL) today as part of the company’s lead-up to the Mobile World Congress 2023.
The announcement was made at a Digital Talent Summit co-hosted by Huawei and the Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL), which serves as the Secretariat of the GAL.
At the Summit, Huawei and UIL agreed to promote the use of technology to raise literacy jointly.
The two parties also signed a cooperation agreement under which Huawei will fund an expansion of UIL’s current initiatives to enhance educators’ use of technology in developing countries. Currently, the UIL initiative operates in Bangladesh, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Nigeria, and Pakistan.
Huawei is the first private company to become an associate member of the GAL.
The company is excited that its goals align with GAL’s vision of eradicating digital illiteracy in young people.
“Our rapidly changing world calls for concerted efforts and strong partnerships to achieve quality education and lifelong learning for all,” UIL Director David Atchoarena explained at the event.
Atchoarena said Huawei’s expertise in innovation in learning would be a great asset to the Global Alliance for Literacy.
“Collaborative projects like ours will ensure no one is left behind on this journey.”
“Getting the right education is often the key to success in life. As a major player in the technology sector, Huawei feels it has a responsibility to provide technology skills in all parts of the world, trying our best to include as many people as possible,” said Huawei Vice President of Corporate Communications Vicky Zhang.
Huawei believes digital talent is a critical driver in achieving digital transformation, solid economic growth, and better quality of life. Since 2008, Huawei has offered a broad and expanding range of talent programs.
Under its Seeds for the Future umbrella, Huawei provides thousands of people yearly with scholarships and digital training courses targeting all age groups.
The company also organises and sponsors tech competitions where students can expand their knowledge, win prizes, and make new friends.
So far, Huawei’s Seeds for the Future program has helped nurture more than 2.2 million digital talents in over 150 countries. The company’s ICT Academy can train about 200,000 students each year. In 2021, Huawei announced it had already invested US$150 million and planned to invest another US$150 million in digital talent development before 2026, expected to benefit an additional 3 million people.
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