Tech partnership for education in Africa

A partnership has been formed between Epson and World Mobile (WM) to support education in Africa.

Network connectivity from WM and printers and projectors from Epson have begun to be installed in schools that have, until now, been left off the grid in some regions of Zanzibar, Tanzania.

The agreement reaffirms the two companies’ commitment to direct action that helps achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In this case, SDG4 Quality Education, SDG9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure and SDG17 Partnership for the Goals.

Forodhani school is located in Stone Town, Zanzibar. With around 700 pupils, the school has been left offline by traditional telecom operators, meaning that teachers and children at the school have not had the infrastructure or opportunities that are taken for granted in many regions of the world. Building on the low-cost wireless network introduced by WM, Epson provided the school with an Epson EcoTank ET-4700 inkjet printer and an Epson EB-982W projector for education, bringing digital technologies to the classroom for the first time and opening a new world of opportunity.

“When we first visited Kiwengwa School, situated in a small village in the north-east of Zanzibar, the students were learning about the internet without the ability to actually go online — so to see their faces once they were connected was priceless. Everything they had been learning suddenly became a reality. This project is not about Epson or WM, it’s about focusing on, until now, disadvantaged local communities and providing the people there with opportunities to flourish,” said Henning Ohlsson, Sustainability Director of Epson Europe.

“We firmly believe that providing a quality education for all is a key goal to achieve a sustainable society, and we are delighted to work with our friends at WM to do our part. We have just started this project, but we hope that other partners will join us to create a positive cycle that benefits everyone involved.”

“We are so excited to begin this partnership with Epson,” said Micky Watkins, CEO of WM.

“It’s crucial to us that we share the same values as our partners. Epson has an impressive track record in sustainability and education. This partnership will help spread the word on our mission to connect Africa in a sustainable way and give teachers and students additional learning tools.”

Although the project is still in its early stages, both Epson and WM are aiming to attract new partners and provide similar opportunities for communities and schools across the region.

Image caption: Epson projector used in Forodhani school in Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania.