December 1 2012

Shaping the digital future

Microsoft partners with SOS Children's Villages

01/12/2012- Teachers and youths in developing countries will be empowered as a result of a digital access initiative announced in Prague today. Tackling education inequality by providing access to digital technology is the objective of a three-year partnership that involves far more than just the transfer of technology.

SOS Chiddren
SOS Children’s Villages has today announced a strategic alliance with Microsoft that builds on SOS Children’s Villages’ commitment to provide young people with access to quality education. The partnership strengthens Microsoft’s YouthSpark; an initiative to empower 300 million youth worldwide through the provision of education, employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.

 

A solution that stands apart

“Helping young people realise their full potential, is an ideology we have in common with Microsoft,” said Richard Pichler, Secretary General of SOS Children’s Villages. “From our respective experience, we know that a holistic approach, based on partnership and leadership at local level brings positive social and economic change. Providing access to technology that helps open the minds of a young generation is great. Addressing educational inequality is equally admirable. But, this solution stands apart because it provides educators with the means to engage in and encourage others to innovate. It allows more people in developing countries to not only access technology, but to capitalise on their entrepreneurial talents in a way that was not previously possible.”

 

Helping young people to realise thier full potential - an idiology shared by SOS Children
Digital access - helps capitalise on entrepenurial talent © SOS Archives 

A common objective

The initiative is part of a strategic alliances between Microsoft and six of the world‘s leading organisations who share a common objective. In partnership they help ensure teachers get the digital training they need and that students gain critical skills vital to finding employment, starting their own business and contributing to their local community’s economy.

“Today’s young people face an opportunity divide — a gap between those who have the access, skills and opportunities to be successful and those who do not,” said Anthony Salcito, vice president of Worldwide Education for Microsoft. “We firmly believe in the power of technology to help close this gap. But we can only achieve our ambitions with the help of these kinds of partnerships. Together, we can help bring digital access to youth and support to educators in developing countries worldwide.”