Orange Botswana Digital School Projects reach Selibe Phikwe

Chief Executive Officer of Orange Botswana, Nene Maiga led her entire management team as well as healthy lifestyle fanatics in a move that boosted the economy of the usually quiet defunct Copper Nickel mining town of Selibe Phikwe. Enjoyable and impressive as the event was, the highlight of the entire weekend was when Orange lit the hearts of the Phikwe community by donating educational gadgets to pupils. Such a move by the tiny Maiga is a classical example of the adage that dynamites come in small packets as they took to the school and rolled out their 50th school beneficiary in the country, which is also the sixth in the SPEDU region. The equipment donated includes 50 tablets, 50 headsets, 1 Video projector, 2x Raspberry servers, 1 JBL Speaker, and 1 Laptop. Handing over the gadgets to the Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Setlhabelo Modukanele, Maiga said although the marketing of the mouth- watering event that tremendously boosted the economy of the entire greater Selibe Phikwe centred mostly around the Orange Phikwe National Marathon 2022, the main sponsors Orange went all out to ensure the future of the country is secured by empowering and educating the pupils in that area.

Through its Foundation - Orange Botswana in partnership with the government is empowering students in the country through better access to technology. In her own words, CEO Maiga said the initiative is a true testament of “Orange Botswana Foundation’s unwavering commitment, loyalty, and support towards the youth of this country”.

Maiga said that at Orange, they are committed and determined to play their part as a responsible corporate citizen in transforming and shaping the future. She said this is all the more reason Orange Botswana, through Orange Foundation, decided to support the government to implement its agenda for Education, known as ‘ Education and Training Sector Strategic Plan ( ETSSP).

She explained that the Orange Digital Schools Project is all about utilisation and integration of ICTs in learning while at the same time addressing issues of digital inclusion. The programme aims to bridge the digital divide by leveraging technology to improve access to education in primary schools.

Maiga said that to date Orange has donated 2500 tablets and headsets, 50 projectors and projector screens and 100 servers altogether benefitting more than 30000 students countrywide.

She said a key part of making this a reality is access to education for all and with the advent of technology. “We must all empower our children with the kind of education and digital literacy that gives them all tools they need – literal and figurative”. Officially receiving the digital kit, Modukanele expressed gratitude that they continue to transcend this journey that started in February 2020 together. He extended his Ministry’s appreciation to Orange Botswana’s positive response to President. Dr. Mokgweetsi Masisi’s Reset and Reclaim Agenda priority of Digitisation.

He said to achieve this, the Ministry’s five- year Strategy and Transformation Plan ( ESTP 20212025) pillar of Digital Transformation, is equally aligned with the Education and Training Sector Strategic Plan ( ETSSP) and the 1994 Revised National Policy on Education, to create an enabling and conducive teaching and learning environment at all primary schools across the country.

Further, the Government is committed to transforming our education system by facilitating private sector participation in providing a conducive teaching and learning environment at 758 primary schools across Botswana.

Modukanele said as an emerging economy, Botswana has embraced new technologies, especially Digitisation to improve efficiency and effectiveness both in Government and the Private

Sector. “We have taken deliberate measures to expand access to information and communication technologies to improve service delivery”. Speaking during the Stakeholders’ welcome party, the overwhelmed Phikwe Mayor Lucas Modimana called upon potential investors to consider his town first.