Empowering Girls in Sri Lanka: Ericsson, Mobitel, OUSL and COL unveils “Connect to Learn” initiative in Kandy
Following the recent launch of the “Connect to Learn” initiative in Colombo, Ericsson Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel, Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL) and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) unveiled the “Connect to Learn” initiative for the Kandy region on 17th February. To mark the ceremonial unveiling of the project, Professor Rajiva Wijesinha, Hon. Minister of Higher Education and Mr. P. G. Kumarasingha, Chairman Sri Lanka Telecom PLC and Mobitel (Pvt) Ltd graced the occasion.
Connect to Learn is the global education initiative founded by the Earth Institute, Ericsson and Millennium Promise, which leverages ICT for a 21st century education in developing countries. The technology deployed at Open University of Sri Lanka in Kandy gives the teenage girl students and teacher’s access to 21st century educational tools and resources, and the ability to connect to other schools around the world to foster collaborative learning, cross-cultural understanding and global awareness. Bringing technology to the service of education is a common goal of Ericsson, Mobitel, OUSL and COL, and the role each one plays in the project is important to its success.
Ericsson is set to provide the ICT equipment required to implement the project, in addition to project management, systems integration and remote support capabilities. Mobitel, in its endeavor to accelerate growth of the female digital economy in Sri Lanka in line with GSMA connected women program, is providing the mobile connectivity required to facilitate the ‘Connect To Learn’ initiative.
Denis Brunetti, Head of Ericsson Sri Lanka, said: “Ericsson is proud to announce today that we have delivered on the commitment we made on 9th October 2014, in partnership with Mobitel, OUSL and COL, to launch the Connect to Learn initiative in early 2015, beginning with this inauguration event in Kandy. We are inspired by the way in which the farming community in Kandy has passionately embraced the opportunity to leverage the Connect to Learn initiative to provide a valued ICT education for their teenage girls. The Connect to Learn Sri Lanka initiative marks the first milestone of Ericsson’s ‘Technology for Good’ program in the country. We look forward to continuing this collaboration through the use of technology and the expertise of employees across all three organizations to make positive impacts in the communities we serve.”
Ranjith G. Rubasinghe, Chief Executive Officer of Mobitel said, “I’m truly humbled to be a part of the Connect to Learn initiative in Kandy. As the pre-eminent National Mobile Service Provider, we at Mobitel are fully committed to bridge the digital divide in Sri Lanka to provide everyone an equal opportunity to experience and enjoy ICT. The Connect to Learn initiative is a testament to our contribution towards enriching the livelihood of the farming communities through power of ICT. We have always maintained a vision to uplift the living standards of rural communities and to enrich their livelihoods, and this initiative gives us the opportunity to do just that. We look forward to extending this initiative beyond Kandy to other regions across Sri Lanka in future so that larger communities are also able to benefit from it. I’m grateful to Ericsson, OUSL and COL for joining hands and partnering with Mobitel in successfully executing this valuable initiative.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
About Connect To Learn
Connect to Learn is a non-profit initiative launched in 2010 by The Earth Institute at Columbia University as scientific advisor, Ericsson as lead ICT partner, and Millennium Promise as implementing partner. A growing portfolio of other organizations and individuals around the world are now providing vital contributions. Connect to Learn was designed as a public/private partnership to promote access to a 21st Century secondary education for everyone with a special emphasis on girls. The initiative’s gender focus addresses the challenges girls face in completing their education globally, despite the enormous economic and societal benefits gender parity in education enables. Connect to Learn aims to propagate practical solutions to ensure that people worldwide have access to education, providing secondary school scholarships and other support to keep girls in school, and implementing mobile broadband connectivity in the schools they attend to improve access to teaching and learning resources not only for them, but for their teachers and fellow students.
For more information, please go to www.connecttolearn.org
About Open University of Sri Lanka
The Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL) is the premier Open and Distance learning institution in Sri Lanka where students can pursue their studies through Open and Distance Learning (ODL) methodologies.
Established in 1980, under the Universities Act No. 16 of 1978 and OUSL Ordinance No. 1 of 1990, as amended, the OUSL has the same legal and academic status as any other national University in Sri Lanka. According to the Public Administration Circular No. 16/92, dated 13.03.92, issued by the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils & Home Affairs, the degrees awarded by The Open University of Sri Lanka are treated as equivalent to degrees awarded by any other University under the purview of the University Grants Commission.
About Mobitel
Mobitel is Sri Lanka’s National Mobile Service Provider and a fully-owned subsidiary of Sri Lanka Telecom. The company offers mobile telephony services, high-speed broadband, Enterprise Solutions, IDD services and a host of Value Added Services. Mobitel was the pioneer in South Asia to launch a Super 3.5G network, to successfully demonstrate HSPA + MIMO technology and successfully trial 4G/LTE technology. The recent introduction of Dual Carrier HSPA+ technology and 4G-LTE service makes Mobitel’s broadband speeds the fastest in the country. Fuelling over USD500mn worth of investments to-date, Mobitel has shaped the ICT landscape, experiencing exciting growth – poised to lead the industry into its next phase of development. A customer base of well-over 5 million, stands testament to Mobitel’s strong focus laid on customer centricity, emulating its credo of “We Care. Always.” For more information, visit www.mobitel.lk or dial 1717 to reach the Customer Care Hotline.
About Ericsson
Ericsson is the driving force behind the Networked Society – a world leader in communications technology and services. Our long-term relationships with every major telecom operator in the world allow people, businesses and societies to fulfill their potential and create a more sustainable future.
Our services, software and infrastructure – especially in mobility, broadband and the cloud – are enabling the telecom industry and other sectors to do better business, increase efficiency, improve the user experience and capture new opportunities.
With more than 110,000 professionals and customers in 180 countries, we combine global scale with technology and services leadership. We support networks that connect more than 2.5 billion subscribers. Forty percent of the world’s mobile traffic is carried over Ericsson networks. And our investments in research and development ensure that our solutions – and our customers – stay in front.
Founded in 1876, Ericsson has its headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden. Net sales in 2013 were SEK 227.4billion (USD 34.9 billion). Ericsson is listed on NASDAQ OMX stock exchange in Stockholm and the NASDAQ in New York.
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