Johannesburg, 19 May 2021
In 2019, Accelerit Technologies embarked on a journey to address social and economic issues that it identified as having massive impact to the development, health and education of communities of South Africans. The initiative was launched under the banner of #AcceleritCares and, since its inception, Accelerit identified as well as took the responsibility to address three critical pillars deemed to be at the core of our country’s socioeconomic development.
“At Accelerit we firmly believe that for a country to take full advantage of the offerings in the hi-tech and telecommunications space, there first needs to be purposeful attention directed to the most basic of needs of its citizens. It’s borderline impossible for people to think about innovation when back at home they are subjected to constant abuse,” said Tshepang Ralekgari, Marketing Specialist at Accelerit Technologies.
Basic human rights – #FreeThePeriod initiative
In line with the pillars identified above, Accelerit launched its first #AcceleritCares campaign targeted towards ensuring that schoolgirls do not miss attendance due to something as basic and natural as being on their monthly cycle. Accelerit therefore partnered with a non-profit organisation called The Ladybug Foundation to take part in the distribution of sanitary towels. The #FreeThePeriod initiative aimed to make sure that basic sanitary products, which are a necessity to all females across South Africa, should be made more easily accessible and normalised in all communities on an institutional level. “If condoms are easily found in school toilets, why can’t we, as both public and private sector, ensure that sanitary towels are just as easily accessible?” emphasised Ralekgari. Starting with Takheni Secondary School, in Elukwatini, a small district in Mpumalanga, Accelerit – along with other sponsors – contributed sanitary towels to over 50 female learners who had financial difficulties, such a basic need, a part of their normal day to day.
Gender-based awareness and discrimination
In 2020, the global COVID-19 pandemic dealt yet another massive blow to the citizens of the world and even more so to those most vulnerable due to deliberate suppression of their rights to expression.
Gender-based violence statistics peaked in most parts of the world and South Africa was not spared. In fact, South Africa became one of the highest gender-based violence hotspots in the world, and with that, our femicide rate became five times that of the global average.
Accelerit saw these disturbing stats as an opportunity to once again partner with the affected communities, starting with the LGBTQI community, and answered the call to become one of the lead sponsors of the 2020 Feather Awards held at Constitutional Hill, a very significant location especially given the theme of the event and especially in a country that has a rich history of racial, gender and social discrimination. At this event, Accelerit had the pleasure to work closely with the founder of the Feather Awards, Thami Kotlolo, alongside thought leaders from all walks of life, who sat down with the purpose of engaging in meaningful and impactful conversations.
“We at Accelerit Fibre are proud to facilitate such engagement by providing connectivity in the figurative and literal aspect of communication. The event was live streamed on all social media platforms of the Feather Awards and the reception was welcomed across the nation; guests were especially thrilled at being able to access Internet at no cost at the event," continued Ralekgari.
#AcceleritCares has communicated its interest to continue supporting the Feather Awards as well as continue working closely with the founder to engage in other meaningful associated ventures that will help protect and bring more awareness to the LGBTQI community.
Continuing with the human rights awareness drive, #AcceleritCares, along with Sister2Sister Ministries, a charity organisation, hosted a Charity Golf Day on 16 April 2021 at the Blue Valley Golf and Country Estate. The Golf Day invited corporates' associates and welcomed second-hand clothing, non-perishables, sanitary pads, pledges or cash donations that will be given to victims of gender-based violence and orphanages.
Accelerit sponsored one of the holes at the golf day and pledged to continue to offer support by providing Internet services to shelters and assist in raising awareness, along with the Sister2Sister Ministries, and to take a firm stand against gender-based violence.
Education and access to digital information – AcceleritCares Schools Programme and Global Citizen
#AcceleritCares launched the Schools Programme in 2021 as part of its commitment to address the third socioeconomic development core issue on the agenda. The programme is aimed at providing unlimited Internet access, as well as installing fibre at no cost to underserved schools in South Africa. So far, Accelerit has connected several schools in Pietermaritzburg, Northdale area, in the first quarter of the year.
“Greenhill Primary School was one of the first schools we connected through our partnership with Zoom Fibre, the local fibre network operator. Having recently launched its cyber lab, which serves as a centre to equip their learners with a much-needed computer literacy skillset. We had the honour and privilege of activating the network at the launch of the centre, along with school governing body, learners and parents. The school now has access to uncapped, unshaped Internet access, providing Internet speeds that reach up to 100mbps through our fibre network,” continued Ralekgari.
Accelerit has also announced that it has partnered with Global Citizen in support of the ‘Recovery Plan for the World’ initiative and will be bridging the digital gap in education through connectivity. Accelerit has committed to connecting 30 schools in remote areas in South Africa through this initiative.
Accelerit welcomes all partnerships that share the same passion and interest in making a difference in South African communities. If you wish to be a part of such an empowering venture through #AcceleritCares, you can start by e-mailing management@accelerit.co.za or calling (010) 500 0220.
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