In one of the biggest ICT investments in Limpopo yet, Telkom`s Godfrey Ntoele launched the Telkom Foundation`s first Letsema Village at the Manyangana High School in Dixie Village today.
Ntoele, Telkom`s managing executive for business and government markets, adopted five schools. Each school received its own fully wireless networked e-Learning Resource Centre consisting of 20 computers, a server, a printer, all Microsoft supplied software, insurance and a three-year maintenance plan.
The donation also included Internet access powered by Vsat satellite technology to bring the village schools in contact with the outside world.
Combined with the e-learning resource centres is the Telkom Foundation`s Technosuss project which involves the establishment of vegetable gardens at each school. One of the schools will be a nodal point where a technologically driven greenhouse will be established.
The greenhouse is 300 square metres, and all methods used to farm in the greenhouse will be scientifically and technologically driven. The greenhouse will be the combined responsibility of the learners and members of the community.
The Telkom Foundation also provided school uniforms for those children that cannot afford them. Further investment included top of the range data projectors, air-conditioners, teacher training and the Mindset Network content.
The Buffelshoek Trust, which assists with the education and healthcare of the Dixie and Utha villages with some 7 000 inhabitants in the Acornhoek/Manyaleti areas adjoining the Kruger National Park, provided electricity, chairs, furniture and built some classrooms in the five schools.
These schools are Hananani primary school; Shiviti primary school, Manyangana high school, Mahlathi primary school and Samson primary school.
Ntoele launched the Letsema Village as part of his passion for assisting rural communities, and was instrumental in bringing the Telkom Foundation donation and Telkom`s satellite solution to the village schools.
Through a scheme called Adopt-A-Project, the Telkom Foundation identifies deserving projects which top Telkom management can assist using funds set aside to improve the quality of science and technology education across the country.
Each senior executive is allocated a sum of money, which has seen hundreds of schools that fit the Telkom Foundation`s criteria benefit from computer laboratories.
As part of the Adopt-A-School programme, a Telkom managing or group executive adopts a project and donates an Internet-enabled computer centre and other resources to improve learning and quality of life in schools and communities.
However, the Limpopo project involving five schools and its surrounding communities is the first Letsema village being piloted by the Telkom Foundation - effectively combining different schools and communities in one massive project. Two further such projects will be completed this year, one in KwaZulu-Natal and one in the Eastern Cape.
The five schools join hundreds of others which have benefited from Telkom`s corporate social responsibility arm, the Telkom Foundation, whose programmes and projects are spread all over SA, mostly in deep rural communities.
Telkom`s intervention in education has seen some of these schools post improved matric results in subjects such as mathematics and science.
Handing over the Letsema Village today, Ntoele said Telkom was committed to efforts aimed at increasing the pool of graduates with technical expertise available to the nation as part of building a solid knowledge economy.
"For us, the computer equipment and satellite communication is not just a donation. It is an intellectual capital investment. As a company, we are heeding the call to bridge the digital divide. We believe that our children must have access to information technology during their formative years so that, as a country, we can be competitive globally," said Ntoele.
Among the dignitaries at the launch were acting premier of Limpopo Dr Happy Joyce Mashamba, education MEC Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, Telkom chairperson Nomazizi Mtshotshisa, Telkom Foundation CEO Nkhetheleng Vokwana and a number of other high level representatives from the corporate world and government.
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