The N50 Project Effect: A Collaboration of Leaders Launches 11 Digital Communities in Uganda
KAMPALA , UGANDA , March 19, 2024 // -- The N50 Project, in strategic partnership with American Tower, Food for the Hungry, and Geeks Without Frontiers is thrilled to announce the inauguration of 11 Digital Communities (DCs) across Namutumba and Amudat districts, marking a significant stride towards our collective goal of community enablement through education. This initiative is at the heart of the N50 Project's vision, leveraging the strengths of our partners to unlock unprecedented opportunities for community empowerment.
In line with our collective commitment to enhancing the educational landscape, American Tower’s Digital Communities have forged a path showing how the physical environment can be most conducive to learning. Food for the Hungry leads with local expert facilitation and support of the implementation for a holistic approach.
Dorothy Kabagambe Ssemanda, Chief Executive Officer of ATC Uganda, emphasized the transformative impact of Digital Communities in Uganda, highlighting that to date, the “ATC Uganda Digital Communities program has trained and certified over 4000 learners and grown its footprint to the current 32 Digital Communities across the country”.
She further stated, 'Our ongoing commitment to setting up Digital Communities in underserved areas of Uganda underscores our dedication to bridging the digital divide and creating inclusive opportunities for all. We are very excited for this strategic partnership with Food for the Hungry and Geeks Without Frontiers that will allow us to scale the program sustainably and drive positive change in our host communities through education and technology.'
'By leveraging the strengths of our partners, we are able to expand the program and make a greater impact by reaching more deserving communities and empowering individuals with the skills and resources they need to thrive in the digital age, paving the way for inclusive growth and development” she said.
Digital literacy stands at the core of the N50 Project, championed as a fundamental right for all. With the addition of these 11 Digital Communities, N50 supports the growth of a digital layer across Uganda in unison with American Tower as it expands to 32 Digital Communities across the country, each serving as a beacon of knowledge and digital empowerment. Our ambition is to align and accelerate the strengths of multiple organizations driven by the conviction that access to digital education can transform lives and communities.
Malvern Chikanya, Country Director for Uganda, Food for the Hungry, stated, “Providing access to digital literacy spaces opens up the world to these communities as students and out-of-school youth can access essential resources virtually, improving learning outcomes, employability skills, and earning potential. We are grateful to American Tower Corporation and the N50 Project for their partnership as we work together to co-create solutions that build resilience so that children, families, and communities can flourish.”
The collaboration with American Tower and Food for the Hungry epitomizes the power of partnership in realizing the N50 Project's objectives. By combining resources and expertise, we are not just promoting digital literacy but also cultivating a fertile ground for other N50 partner opportunities to foster sustainable growth in the areas of digital health, fair trade, agriculture and overall economic development.
American Tower’s Digital Communities are digitally connected, technology-equipped spaces that offer digital literacy and education for youth, financial education and vocational training for adults, or healthcare services.
About the N50 Project
N50 is the Geeks Without Frontiers led initiative that is focused on the next 50% of the planet that does not fully digitally participate. The N50 partners' primary focus is to launch projects for marginalized communities using best-practice playbooks for long-term delivery of ICT solutions. N50 is an open, inclusive ecosystem that is fueling transformation in some of the world's most challenging environments. Our live 'Digital Participation' projects in the field are designed to enable communities to access the education, health, social and financial benefits that flow from affordable and sustainable digital inclusion. Your organization can make a difference! Submit a compelling project or a compelling solution and join us to help communities that are currently stranded on the edge of networks! www.n50project.org/join
About Geeks Without Frontiers
Geeks Without Frontiers is an award-winning platform for global impact. A technology neutral nonprofit, Geeks’ mission is to bring the benefits of broadband connectivity – health, education, poverty reduction, gender equality, and the other United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) – to the estimated 3 billion people who remain unconnected. For more information, please visit www.geekswf.org or on X @GeeksWF.
American Tower Corporation
American Tower, one of the world's largest real estate investment trusts (REITs), is a leading independent owner, operator and developer of communications real estate, with a global portfolio of nearly 225,000 sites and a highly interconnected network of data centers in the United States. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, American Tower operates in the United States, Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, South Africa, Spain, and Uganda.
American Tower in Africa
American Tower was established in Africa in 2011 and today operate more than 24,000 sites across Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda. ATC’s customers include the region’s leading Mobile Network Operators. Access to broadband services has helped unlock an array of new opportunities and services that are enhancing the livelihoods of Africans, spurring Africa’s economic growth, and advancing the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda for the continent.
Food for the Hungry
Food for the Hungry is a Christian humanitarian aid and global development
organization that designs, develops and delivers solutions so that children, families and communities can flourish. Collaborating with local leaders across sectors, we co-create solutions that build resilience by strengthening mental, physical and spiritual well-being. We serve nearly 10 million people in 18 countries so that communities have the agency and resources necessary to realize their God-given potential. For more information, follow FH on Instagram and Twitter, or visit www.fh.org