The New Nation - Internet Edition

Business Report

Aiming to create IT-enabled sustainable livelihood options for rural communities, Microsoft Bangladesh will provides grants $54,000 to Bangladesh Friendship Education Society (BFES), an NGO with a mission to promote education for all.

Microsoft Bangladesh on Monday announced an additional funding of USD 54,000 in cash, software and curriculum for enabling IT skills training to underserved persons in rural areas of the country under its flagship corporate social responsibility effort, the Unlimited Potential - Community Technology Skills Programme (UP-CTSP).

The project seeks to empower rural communities, especially youth and women, by imparting basic computer literacy to increase their prospects for jobs in an expanding number of telecasters, various government entities and private enterprises in Bangladesh, as well as equip them to apply for suitable jobs abroad.

It will also endeavour to facilitate micro-credit for trainees to encourage them to start IT-based entrepreneurial ventures which can generate income and further employment.

Overall, the partnership with BFES is an initiative to accelerate digital inclusion and help take the benefits of technology to the grass roots level.

This is the third round of funding by Microsoft under its UP-CTSP initiative. The training sessions are conducted in Community Technology Learning Centres (CTLCs) supported by the company across various locations. These Centres are equipped with PCs, have IT instructors, and are especially created for imparting basic IT abilities that can help people in exploring new careers, further their education etc. Since inception in 2005, UP-CTSP has imparted computer literacy to over 5,000 individuals via 17 CTLCs. The grant to BFES aims to train another 6,600 persons over the next three years through 10 additional CTLCs. Microsoft has so far invested a total of $312,000 in this programme in Bangladesh.

Commenting on the need for taking IT to marginalized sections of society, Feroz Mahmud, Country Manager, Microsoft Bangladesh Ltd, said, the believe that ever' person, regardless of his or her circumstances, should have the opportunity to take advantage of the benefits offered by technology.

This not only means providing access to technology but also giving people an understanding of how to use and benefit from it."

Expressing his views on this partnership, Reza Salim, Project Director, Amader Gram Project of the Bangladesh Friendship Education Society, said, "There is enormous scope for leveraging technology 10 accelerate the process of socio-economic development in our country. We are pleased to partner with Microsoft in this initiative which will help provide necessary IT training to disadvantaged segments of society, thus preparing them for accessing belle jobs and allowing them an opportunity to participle in the information revolution. "

Founded in 1983, Microsoft Community Affairs was one of the first corporate community investment programmes in the high-tech industry. Through Unlimited Potential vision, Microsoft is committed to making technology more affordable, relevant and accessible for the 5 billion people around the world who do not yet enjoy its benefits.

The Community Affairs initiative for Microsoft Bangladesh primarily looks at empowering and enabling the marginalized sections of society through the usage of technology under the Microsoft Unlimited Potential Community Technology Skills Programme. It also includes software donations to eligible NGOs and responding to humanitarian and disaster relief efforts by providing cash assistance.