Students empowered by HONOR’s sponsored devices to enhance digital skills

Students at the Siyafunda Community Technology Centre will have more access to technology after a donation by smartphone manufacturer HONOR Technologies.

The company has donated more than R200,0000 worth of devices including units of its Pad X9 featuring an 11.5-inch, 5:3, 1200 x 2000-pixel display, a 120Hz refresh rate as well as a six-speaker system.

HONOR spokesperson Zhou Lefeng said the company believes access to technology and digital skills are not a luxury but a necessity, a fundamental right that should be available to everyone irrespective of their socio-economic status.

Empowering students

Lefeng expressed confidence this will empower students as they “access online education, seek job opportunities, and improve their lives”.

Siyafunda CTC uses such contributions to “remove the large cost factor” associated with technology adoption, particularly in educational settings.

Recently the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies invited tech companies including HONOR to participate in its Back To School 2024 programme by contributing into a resource pool.

ALSO READ: REVIEW: ASUS Zenbook 14 Flip OLED laptop

Google Hustle

Meanwhile, About 5,300 small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) from across the African continent graduated from Google‘s Hustle Academy last month.

The graduation ceremonies took place in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria.

Google said the graduation demonstrates the impact of the Hustle Academy programme, with more than 10,000 entrepreneurs benefiting from it since its launch in 2022.

Speaking at the graduation at the Houghton Hotel, Alistair Mokoena, Country Director for Google South Africa, said there are people in society who make it their business to make a difference.

“Anything that you are exposed to in your daily lives adds to what you are doing today. The stuff that you observe, the examples that you see around you, the people you look up to, that’s all free education that you are accessing.”

The Hustle Academy programme focuses on addressing the challenges faced by African SMBs and provides practical skills and resources that are essential for business growth.

ALSO READ: Over 5 000 small businesses graduate from Google Hustle Academy