Francisca Boateng
Information technology firm Slamm Technologies has launched its ‘1million’ campaign to significantly improve information, communications and technology (ICT) literacy in Ghana.
The firm, which has offices in Virginia and Massachusetts in the United States of America (USA) as well as Ghana, seeks to equip one million people with introductory IT skills, with 10 per cent getting education for free.
Speaking at the official launch of the campaign at the Accra Data Centre, which houses the firm’s Ghana office, CEO Samuel Boateng said the initiative is aimed at impacting the lives of less privileged Ghanaians by educating and training them with these skills.
“We understand that technology is changing the world so we want to make sure we foster and help with the changing of the world by giving the underprivileged the opportunity to learn IT from Slamm. We are looking at tremendously impacting people that do not have the ability to educate themselves in this way so we can educate them: the young and the old, men and women alike,” he said.
He revealed that the campaign seeks to train these individuals in the use of productive tools such as those offered on the Microsoft Office Suite – Word, Excel and Output; Power Point presentations, social media and email communication and etiquette.
With digital penetration significantly lower in areas outside the capital cities, Mr. Boateng stated that that special consideration will be given to persons in these places, especially those in educational and religious intuitions.
He added that the programme is not time bound and so he would not relent until the ultimate goal has been reached. Advertisement, word-of-mouth and referrals are some of the avenues Slamm Technologies seeks to use to publicise the campaign.
On the source of funding for the project, he added that it would be borne by Slamm Technologies and as evidence of that commitment, the CEO and the Director of Operations of the company, Francisca Boateng, donated GH¢20,000 to the initiative.
Mrs. Boateng desires to see Ghana emulate a country like India, which has leveraged basic IT skills to provide jobs for its young people.
A business desk report