As part of its corporate social responsibility program, South Korea’s tech giant Samsung runs an annual program where it dedicates its time, money, and skills within the organization to causes it feels will add value to a region it operates. The program dubbed, Employee Volunteer Program (EVP), runs for one-week each year.
Accra, Ghana was that region for the Samsung 2017’s EVP in partnership with the Better World. About 40 employees from Samsung flew in from South Korea to Accra on October 2nd to take part in a week-long program aimed at equipping young girls with future-oriented ICT skills.
Samsung has donated a new ICT Center at the Accra Bishop Girls Junior High School, where Samsung staffers have purposed to do skills-transfers to the many young girls attending school at the institution.
“It’s important for our people to be actively involved with the education initiatives we are rolling out across Africa,” said Eungjin Nahm, from Samsung Electronics West Africa. “Not only are they able to impart considerable value through their time and expertise but it also provides them with the opportunity to witness first-hand the difference their combined involvement in Samsung is making to the lives of others.”
The Accra Bishop Girls School has a total of 760 learners in both its primary and junior high classes. Prior to Samsung setting up the ICT Center at the school, the institutions had an on-going ICT curriculum, but it was using outdated textbooks to teach. With the Samsung ICT Center, the curriculum just got a new lease of improved life.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report says there is a 47% gender gap in STEM graduates at tertiary levels. The Samsung ICT Center at the Accra Bishop Girls Junior High School wants to contribute in bridging this gap, by teaching the young girls at the institution ICT skills that are relevant in this increasingly digital economy.
“Samsung is passionate about helping to further the development of STEM and ICT skills among women, and we hope that through this initiative and others like it, we will be able to make a positive difference in the lives of many young African women,” said Tracy Kyei, the Marketing Executive, Samsung Electronics West Africa – Ghana.
The new ICT Center is part of a bigger plan by Samsung to impart ICT skills to the education system not just in Ghana, but across Africa. Samsung has already established Smart Schools, Engineering Academies, Technical Programs, and Solar-Powered Internet Schools across various countries in Africa.
