Accra-Ghana, Oct. 23, GNA – Ecobank and its subsidiaries, as part of the Transforming Africa through Education initiative that aims to help build the digital skills of the youth and prepare them for the job market, have donated computers and accessories to two vulnerable institutions.
Under the three-year programme, Ecobank Ghana, eProcess International, EDC and Pan African Savings and Loans, would provide facilities such as computers to schools and help train the youth in Information Communication Technology (ICT) skills.
To mark Ecobank Day, Ecobank Ghana PLC and its partners offered to refurbish the computer laboratory of the South Labone Girls Technical Institute (SLATECH) and stocked it with 21 computers, Tables and chairs, a Projector, and a UPS.
Ecobank will also renovate three classrooms of the Institute and stock them with chairs and desks and also provide long tables for the dressmaking department of SLATECH.
The Institute catered for abandoned, stranded, missing and vulnerable children and served as a remand and correctional centre for children who commit crimes.
Speaking at the Ecobank Day programme with the students of the SLATECH in Accra, the Acting Managing Director of Ecobank Ghana PLC, Madam Joana Mensah, said the move was to build a conducive environment for the students to study.
“It is our expectation that these donations will help the students in these two schools improve their academic and practical performances, particularly digital skills, which is our main focus.”
She expressed hope that both students and teachers would protect these items, so they would last longer to serve the needs of many more students in the years ahead.
As part of the donation, Ecobank will also organise training in ICT for students of the two schools, after the commissioning of the labs.
“I will encourage you, the students, to take those training sessions seriously to enable you to grasp the needed digital skills that will make you competitive on the global stage,” she added.
The Group Executive Operations and Technology of Ecobank Group, Dr Tomisin Fashina, said that Ecobank Day, which started 10 years ago, was one of the flagship CSI annual events of the bank.
“We are in an era of rapid technological advances, digitalisation and ‘always-on’ connectivity, which keep changing so rapidly in everyday life, activities and expectations for businesses and individuals.
In large part, this is being facilitated by the ready and rapid adoption of smartphones, tablets, etc. which act as the enablers and gateway to digital empowerment.
He said Ecobank Day 2023 on the theme: ‘Excel with Digital Skills’ was focusing on raising awareness and knowledge about the importance of children and youth having digital skills.
“It is imperative for them to have a deeper and solid grounding in digital skills. Having such skills will be truly life-changing for both the youth and children. It will also enable Africa to leapfrog and accelerate its development.”
He said the desire was to see a major ramp-up of digital education to make the youth more attractive to employers and to expand their career options.
The Director of Social Welfare, Reverend Dr Comfort Asare, in her remarks, commended Ecobank for the support, saying the intervention had been timely.
She said the support would go a long way to help keep the institution running, adding the refurbishment of ICT laboratory and the provision of computers would help the students become ICT literate.
The Principal and Manageress of SLATECH, Gifty Terkpor, expressed gratitude to Ecobank Ghana PLC for the support.
The Principal and Manageress of SLATECH appealed to other corporate organisations to emulate the example of Ecobank Ghana PLC and come to the support of the Institute.
A similar donation of computers was made to the Potters Village Orphanage, at Dodowa.
