Netsurit won this year's Microsoft Citizenship Initiative Award at the SA Partner Conference, held in Durban last week.
Rian van der Walt, Netsurit Technology Director, says the company takes its social responsibilities very seriously with the focus primarily on growing IT skills in South Africa through a number of initiatives.
"As the company has grown, playing a part in building a sustainable economy through high quality community programmes has become a priority for Netsurit," he says. "Together with Microsoft, we plan to grow the number of projects we are involved in as we continue to invest in the ICT sector and various communities within the Gauteng area."
Netsurit's three citizenship programmes focus mainly around development and training. "In 2007, we introduced an internship programme to give young people with no previous practical experience an opportunity to enter the industry, and emerge as well-skilled individuals.
The Community Training programme, another of Netsurit's Citizenship Initiatives, focuses on schools in Alexandra Township and aims to educate school teachers on basic IT skills including navigating their way round an operating system and learning to use software like Microsoft Office.
The philosophy behind the programme is that "if you teach a child you teach one person, but if you teach a teacher you teach a community". Teachers are therefore equipped to pass on their knowledge to their colleagues, family and students, lifting the overall level of computer literacy within the community.
The Community Training Programme also includes a life skills course where soft skills such as personality development and people skills are taught. These courses are open to both teachers and parents.
Netsurit's third initiative is the annual Feed the Kids Day. Created for the children of Alexandra, this initiative has been running for six years and continues to grow each year. The day is filled with entertainment, fun and education, as well as providing a good meal for the kids. Every year Netsurit's clients are encouraged to participate by contributing clothes, blankets and financial donations - all of which makes a big impact in the lives of people who are in need.
"Education, experience and social welfare are vital as we build the IT ecosystem and the skills of our country," Van der Walt says.
Netsurit has previously been the winner of the Microsoft's 2007 World Partner of the Year Award (Competing to Win: Linux/LAMP) and the Microsoft's 2006 World Sales & Marketing Partner of the Year for Networking Infrastructure Solutions (Global award - first South African company to win this).
This year, in addition to receiving the Citizenship Initiative Award, Netsurit was nominated in the Networking Infrastructure Solutions Competency Award, Small Business Specialist Award and the Information Worker Solutions Competency Award.
"It was an honour to have been nominated in all four of the categories we entered. We're delighted to win another Microsoft Partner Award," Van der Walt says.
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