Ericsson, in partnership with the Wot-If? Trust, is offering the community of Diepsloot, a densely populated township in the north of Johannesburg, access to its Connect to Learn programme.
The global Connect to Learn education initiative, which relies on open source technology, was launched in 2010 by the Earth Institute of Columbia University, Millennium Promise and Ericsson.
The aim is to scale up access to quality secondary education, in particular for girls, by providing scholarships and bringing ICT to schools in remote, resource-poor parts of the world, over mobile broadband.
This was revealed at the official opening of the Ericsson-funded eHub Diepsloot, a media ICT business support centre. The hub will be the first facility to offer Connect To Learn in SA and the 24th such facility globally.
Speaking at the opening, Mahommed Essop, acting country manager for Ericsson, said the eHub was a launching pad for future things to come.
"This is definitely one of the big CSI investments, with regards to financing, but it really is not just about the money. Education is one of our key corporate social responsibilities. Our vision is to make a success of this particular eHub and use it as the blueprint for many others. We do not want to restrict ourselves to Diepsloot, as there are a lot of disadvantaged communities in SA. We are also working on getting more partners on board," he said.
The 244m^2 containerised facility is built on the property of Father Louis Blondel Centre Diepsloot. It has training room, Cyber Caf'e and reception area on the ground level. The top level offers a meeting space and think tank space with white boards and the like. Also on the top level is the only permanent resident (an online radio station - Diepsloot Radio - Wot-If? Trust enterprise development participant).
Wot-if? Trust funder and trustee Gail Styger explains future plans for the eHub include an audio-visual recording studio along with editing hardware and software.
"Designers will also have a maker's space that will include a 3D printer. The hub and centre at present currently services 47 small businesses and 13 organisations. Our focus areas are enterprise and supplier development, women's empowerment, youth development, greening/agriculture with emphasis placed on the use and power of media and technology. It is important that a technology hub of this nature supports and upskills school-goers, small businesses and freelancers within the Diepsloot ecosystem.
"Our biggest challenge, however, is data management; we use more than 100GB of data a month which can be expensive."
Styger says the eHub is a great step towards the Diepsloot 2030 plan, which is closely modelled on the South African National Development Plan.
Nokuzola Ehrens, chairwoman of the recently established B-BBEE ICT Sector Council, added it is exciting to see key ICT companies coming on board with regards to implementing transformation within the sector.
Most recently, MTN Group hosted its 21 Days of Y'ello Care initiative at the centre. It included share knowledge sessions where group executives engaged in dialogue with participants to impart knowledge and ascertain actions that will lead to a better Diepsloot by the year 2030.
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