Zoho is partnering with Bridge International Academies to establish a meaningful Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative in Nigeria, Kenya, and Uganda. The announcements were made today on the sidelines of Zoholics Nigeria, the company’s annual user conference.
The primary objective of this partnership is to support the education of 200 children from underserved communities by sponsoring school uniforms, fees for four terms, and other essential items for students attending Bridge International Academies.
The initiative aims to address the issue of financial constraints that hinder many pupils’ access to essential school supplies. Zoho will assist Bridge International Academies in its digitalisation efforts, offering Zoho Wallet Credits to help them utilise the company’s technology.
In addition, Zoho is also recycling the billboards of its out-of-home ads and turning them into bags. Over 500 flexes from Nigeria and 1300+ in Kenya have been recycled so far.
Bridge International Academies is a network of community schools that provides access to quality, affordable education to underserved communities in Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, and India. Bridge leverages technology to deliver quality education; efficient monitoring and evaluation programs for teachers and efficient monitoring and evaluation of pupil performance.
Bridge Nigeria knows when teachers are in classrooms and when lessons are delivering results.
“Through strategic partnerships, we aim to bridge this gap by providing vital resources and high-quality education to the students we serve. We are thrilled and deeply grateful for our partnership with Zoho, as our shared commitment to delivering meaningful value is at the heart of what unites us,” said Foyinsola Akinjayeju, Managing Director, Bridge International Academies, Nigeria about the partnership.
According to Zoho’s Country manager, Kehinde Ogundare, the company recognises the crucial role of education in societal development and is committed to breaking down these barriers by supporting Bridge International Academies pupils with necessary supplies.
“At Zoho, we believe that our growth should go hand in hand with the success of our customers, partners, employees, and the communities we are part of. In Nigeria, we embrace this same philosophy by hiring locally, expanding our partner network, and offering affordable technology tailored to meet local needs. For the community, we have been investing in youth upskilling initiatives and are now extending support to children’s education. We are also committed to strengthening our sustainability efforts, including expanding our recycling programmes, such as flex recycling,” Kehinde said.
Read also: Zoho records 31% growth in Nigeria in 2023, country manager, Kehinde Ogundare says
Other Zoho upskilling initiatives in Africa
Partnership and community outreach are at the core of Zoho’s business strategy in Africa.
Last year, the software company grew its partner network by 22% and more than doubled its employee count in 2022 in Nigeria to reinforce its local presence and better serve its customers. In 2023 alone, Zoho saw a 21% increase in its partner network.
Earlier this year, it revealed several upskilling partnerships across Africa. As part of the Young Creators Program, Zoho partnered with She Code Africa (SCA), a non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering and upskilling African women in tech.
It also conducted “train the trainer” sessions for SCA Academy trainers, equipping them with skills to use Zoho Creator, Zoho’s low-code app development platform. The SCA Academy trainers will then train more students associated with SCA to develop impactful applications using low-code technology, addressing real-world business challenges.
In Kenya, the company joined forces with MOMO Pencils, a leading manufacturer of eco-friendly stationery in Nairobi, for the “Hope for Literacy” program. The program seeks to combat intergenerational poverty by improving access to quality education for children in underserved communities while promoting environmental sustainability and eco-friendly practices in schools.
The company also partnered with J-Hub Africa, the digital innovation hub at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, to provide training for JKUAT technology students. This partnership will focus on teaching students how to leverage Zoho’s cloud-based business applications, enhancing their technology skills, and preparing them for diverse career opportunities in various industries.
Recently, in South Africa, Zoho collaborated with BabesGotBytes to empower over 40 girls and women with digital skills through a comprehensive one-year boot camp, aimed at bridging the skills gap and increasing female representation in tech.
The company also announced at today’s event in Lagos that it has partnered with CodeTelligence to support a 6-month boot camp for 36 economically disadvantaged youth, providing IT training and mentorship to enhance their employability and readiness for the workforce.
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