Huawei South Africa has partnered with the MTN SA Foundation and the Department of Social Development, supporting digital access and ICT skills development for the Letlhakeng Community in the North West Province.

The MTN SA Foundation donated a state-of-the-art 20-seater multimedia centre to the Letlhakeng Community Care Centre, inclusive of data connectivity for 24 months and ICT training for staff members. Huawei further supported the centre with up-skilling of 40 young people with ICT, Coding and Robotics training and provided them with Huawei Pads (Tablets). Huawei and MTN also contributed to 200 Christmas food hampers for vulnerable children in the community.

The multi-media centre handover ceremony was attended by Deputy Minister of Social Development, Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu, North West Premier, Bushy Maape, Social Development MEC, Boitumelo Moiloa, Local Mayor, Cllr Nketu Knotswe and MTN Foundation officials.

The multimedia centre to the Letlhakeng Community Care Centre

At the event, training certificates were presented to the teachers from the centre, who had received ICT training, and Christmas hampers were distributed to some of the children.

Huawei, Director of Marketing and Strategy, Ming Zhong thanked the Letlhakeng community, department of Social Development and MTN SA Foundation for the opportunity to grow young minds in the ICT industry.

“We are very proud to partner with the MTN SA Foundation to support their work in digital skills transfer and ICT support for communities such as this one. We hope that through this multi-media centre, the ICT training and the donation of the devices, we show our youth the numerous opportunities that comes with technology. It is our wish that they further their studies and take up careers in ICT, which is the foundation of the future world of work,” he said.

Deputy Minister of Social Development, Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu also thanked the MTN SA Foundation and Huawei Technologies for their support through the years and for the generous donation that will upskill and train youth and the community with skills that will bring them into the digital age.

“In today’s world you will never do a lot of things you wish to do if you are not familiar with IT, and that is the most important benefit this centre has for the local community,” she added.

North West Premier Bushy Kaubitsa Maape said, “This serves as an example of real service delivery to the people, this centre has multiple roles and functions, and is targeting almost everyone in the community, children, young adults and even the elderly are going to benefit from this centre.”

Huawei South Africa and MTN SA Foundation, have partnered since 2016 to host an annual Christmas party for underprivileged youth, giving them a fun, ICT themed event and some early Xmas cheer.