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Today, Airtel, a telecommunications services provider, announced that it has joined hands with UNICEF under the Reimagine Education Initiative and will be connecting 620 primary schools in Nigeria to digital learning in the coming three months.

This partnership: is expected to benefit 300,000 students across the country with access to the internet and devices.

In the first year of the five-year partnership, Airtel will provide all the resources for digital learning to the 620 identified schools including reliable broadband connectivity, tablets, and free access to a world class curriculum through the Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP).

NLP, developed by the Federal Ministry of Education, UNICEF and Microsoft, is an e-learning platform with online and offline capability that enables continuous access to quality education, Airtel’s support will benefit students with uninterrupted access to quality learning materials.

Airtel is also providing free access for any Airtel subscriber to Youth Agency Market Place (YOMA), a UNICEF digital platform for skilling, upskilling and encouraging young people’s engagement.

Currently YOMA has 115,000 users in Nigeria. This number is expected to grow with Airtel support, especially for young people living in hard-to- reach areas with no to low access to data or connectivity.

In an MOU signing ceremony to flag-off the initiative today in Lagos, Airtel said it has completed the process of providing free access to the two digital platforms for the targeted beneficiaries. Airtel has committed US$1.3m worth of complimentary data for the two platforms and data provision for learners in the year alone.

Twenty schools in Lagos and Kano will be connected in December 2022, while the connection of the remaining 600 schools will be concluded before the end of February 2023, complete with ultra-modern routers tablets and mobile broadband network

Speaking at the launch, Surendran Chemmenkotil, the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Airtel in Nigeria, said, “Education, especially digital learning, forms a significant part of the company’s sustainability agenda for Nigeria and it will stop at nothing to bridge the huge digital gap that currently exists in mostly rural primary schools across the country”.

“With this programme and partnership, we are providing both world class education and digital inclusion for thousands of underprivileged children and our goal is to connect, empower and transform as many children and young people as possible. Education is power, and connectivity provides the leverage to become unstoppable. At Airtel, we are confident that this investment will not just transform lives but will create a wonderful future for millions of Nigerian children and young people,” he said.

Cristian Munduate, the UNICEF’s Country Representative in Nigeria, said, “This is an important milestone and a step closer in reducing the digital divide in Nigeria. Quality digital learning is the fastest route to improving learning and equipping children and young people with the 21″ century skills needed to fulfil their potential and to live their dreams. We are delighted that Airtel Nigeria shares UNICEF’s vision and will help in driving the process to scale-up access to digital learning for children and young people across these schools.”

The Re-imagine education project is a five-year partnership between Airtel and UNICEF to help accelerate the roll-out of digital learning by connecting schools to the internet and ensuring free access to learning platforms across 13 countries.

By providing equal access to quality digital learning, particularly for the most vulnerable children, the partnership will help to ensure that every child reaches his/her full potential.

During the ceremony at the Airtel Headquarters, Ikoyi, Lagos, Miss Anuguo had the rare privilege to function in the capacity of Airtel Nigeria’s CEO and MD, Surendran Chemmenkotil as she emerged CEO for the day.

Using this privilege and executive powers as CEO, she remarkably led an advocacy campaign for Nigerian children, especially the differently abled as she signed a policy for Airtel Nigeria to continue to pursue opportunities that will accelerate digital learning for all children in the country, regardless of ethnicity, location, or ability.

In response, Surendran Chemmenkotil, the Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, assured her of the company’s commitment to digital learning in Nigeria.

“Airtel Nigeria joins UNICEF and the entire world to mark the World Children’s Day. As a company, Airtel is committed to Nigerian children and will continue to support initiatives that will create a better future for all children. We are happy to mark this day with Esther as well as all Nigerian children and we shall continue to support platforms and initiatives that will lead to better future for all children in our dear country, Nigeria, he said.

The CEO also awarded the sum of N1.5m to young Anuguo to support her education and her advocacy for Nigerian children as a key influencer.

“I am also happy to offer Miss Anuguo a scholarship of N1.5m to support her education. This gesture is to encourage her to continue her advocacy for differently abled children as she champions their cause as a key influencer. Thank you for all you do, Anuguo.,” he said.

World Children’s Day was first established in 1954 as Universal Children’s Day and is celebrated on 20 November each year to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children’s welfare.

November 20th is an important date as it is the date in 1959 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. It is also the date in 1989 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Since 1990, World Children’s Day also marks the anniversary of the date that the UN General Assembly adopted both the Declaration and the Convention on children’s rights.

Mothers and fathers, teachers, nurses and doctors, government leaders and civil society activists, religious and community elders, corporate moguls and media professionals, as well as young people and children themselves, can play an important part in making World Children’s Day relevant for their societies, communities and nations.

World Children’s Day offers each of us an inspirational entry-point to advocate, promote and celebrate children’s rights, translating into dialogues and actions that will build a better world for children.

Airtel as a telecommunications service provider is committed to its purpose of empowering and uplifting people and making a positive and lasting impact in the lives of its stakeholders. This is how Airtel hopes to earn its social licence.

A special purpose vehicle that is helping Airtel to connect with communities and its key stakeholders in Nigeria is the Airtel Touching Lives programme.

Birthed about eight years ago, its mandate is to offer relief and hope to the underprivileged and downtrodden while also inspiring the strong and privileged to support the vulnerable and the disadvantaged in the society.

This year, Airtel premiered the sixth season of the Airtel Touching Lives initiative at the Ebony Place in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital cit. The event, a VVIP occasion, was attended by several dignitaries, community stakeholders, corporate Nigeria, and key government functionaries.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Surendran Chemmenkotil, while speaking on the track record of the initiative, said Airtel Touching Lives has not only recorded milestones but has offered real help to individuals, communities, groups, and institutions since it was launched.

“In Season 6, Airtel Nigeria has helped to rebuild a dream, a life, a hospital. We helped children regain their confidence, get an education; and we provided free COVID testing for millions. We turned tears of sadness into tears of Joy,” he said.

Airtel Touching Lives, Chemmenkotil also noted, is premised on the philosophy that society will excel and triumph at a quicker pace as long as privileged people continue to support the needy.

This is why Airtel Nigeria, through the platform, has taken a step to institute and sustain a programme that will help uplift the underprivileged, the sick, the poor and the needy.

“At Airtel Nigeria, we are inspired to promote corporate philanthropy and sustainability and our Touching Lives platform affords us an opportunity to showcase our efforts and encourage other corporate entities as well as well-spirited individuals to join hands in improving our society.

“So, the philosophy is twofold: One, we are passionate about supporting the underprivileged and promoting Corporate Philanthropy, but we realize that we cannot do it on our own just as we understand that the Government cannot also not do it alone.

“Then, the second leg of our two-pronged approach is to rally important stakeholders across different sectors and geographies to support the needy and underprivileged persons across society.

“Airtel believes that if we are committed to giving and we also collaborate to solve some of society’s problems, we can make a huge difference,” Surendran said.

Airtel Touching Lives takes the format of a reality television show, allowing the public to nominate causes, communities, and underprivileged persons with special needs.

Airtel thereafter evaluates the nominations received from the public and selects the causes to support. The process of delivering on each cause is then filmed and broadcast on terrestrial and satellite television stations with the aim of inspiring other corporate organisations as well as well-meaning individuals to join in supporting the vulnerable across society.

Through the programme, Airtel has refurbished an ICT centre for a large community, built modern water borehole systems for a number of towns, refurbished cancer centres, restored a library for blind people, rehabilitated a clinic facility at a camp for internally displaced people (IDP), set up small scale businesses for underprivileged individuals, paid the hospital bills of indigent children and women, and flown many Nigerians abroad for complex medical procedures.

With season 6 of the Airtel Touching Lives programme coming to an end only last week, Airtel has demonstrated that it will not rest on its laurels and will continue to inspire others to also embrace the ideals of corporate philanthropy. And, judging by the Airtel’s pledge, we can be sure that the company will return with Touching Lives Season 7 sooner rather than later.  

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Erhumu Bayagbon is a Corporate Communications/PR | Sustainability|Product Marketing| Change & Crisis Communications specialist. He writes from Airtel Nigeria

Commenting on the company’s commemoration of the 2022 World Environment Day, Surendran Chemmenkotil, the Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Airtel Nigeria, said the Airtel Nigeria’s ambition is to address and minimize the impact of its operations on the environment as this is critical for the world, we live in, noting that it is committed to raising awareness about climate/environmental stewardship amongst employees and to work together as a team towards the delivery of its sustainability goals

“I have asked all my colleagues to bring to the office any electronic items from their homes that are old and no-longer of any use to them – so that Airtel can then prove its position as a technology company, that consistently explores sustainable ways of reusing, repurposing, recycling, and disposing of e-waste from our network and offices.

“We are committed to our overarching Airtel Africa Sustainability strategy, and we will continue to implement these plans relentlessly at the local level,” he said.

In response to the CEO’s call, employees of the telco came to the office on Monday, 6^th June with electronic wastes, which they deposited at designated areas across offices nationwide. The e-wastes will be collected by a credible e-wastes partner for the purpose of recycling, repurposing, and responsible disposal.

 As part of the awareness programme, an awareness session was held at the company’s HQ in Ikoyi, Lagos on Monday, 6^th June, with employees in regional offices connecting virtually. During the session, employees were urged to contribute in their respective individual capacities to the advancement of sustainable environmental management, reduction of environmental footprint in respect of call to action on climate change initiatives and to reduce activities that have negative impact on Health and the Environment.

World Environment Day is celebrated annually on 5^th June and is the United Nations’ principal vehicle for encouraging awareness and action for the protection of the environment. First held in 1973, it has been a platform for raising awareness on environmental issues such as marine pollution, human overpopulation, global warming, sustainable consumption, and wildlife crime.

Sanwo-Olu who was speaking on Tuesday, January 25 2022 when Mr. Surendran Chemmenkotil, the managing director and Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, paid him a courtesy visit, said he appreciated the initiative and gesture of Airtel employees when they came forward during the heat of the pandemic to support the State government.

“I thank Airtel employees for their support during the heat of the pandemic and I am glad that we are now exiting the 4th wave of the Coronavirus pandemic. Although Lagos has been the epicentre of the Coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria, we will be able to eradicate the virus from Lagos,” he said.

The Governor who wished the Airtel CEO a successful tenure, also noted that the Lagos State Government will continue to promote and leverage on technology to accelerate economic growth as well as create prosperity for residents and indigenes of the State, saying technology is very important and a strong enabler in realizing the government’s agenda.

“A priority is the Lagos Smart City project as we are very persuaded to push forward technology. Many young people see technology as a platform to create, innovate and express their talents and we have a role as government to continue to create the enabling environment for this to thrive,” he noted.

Speaking earlier, Surendran Chemmenkotil, commended Sanwo-Olu for creating an enabling environment for business to thrive in the State, noting that Airtel will continue to collaborate with the State government to create opportunities for residents and indigenes of the State.

“Historically, we have enjoyed a robust relationship with Lagos and we wish to continue to collaborate with Lagos State to empower more residents and indigenes of the State. Mr. Governor, Lagos is important to our operations in Nigeria. As major stakeholders, we will continue to seek collaborative opportunities with Lagos State just as we will continue to empower and support the indigenes and residents of Lagos State,” he said.

The Airtel CEO was accompanied by the company’s Enterprise (Airtel Business Director), Ogo Ofomata; Vice President, Retail Sales, Oladokun Oye and Head of Public Relations, Erhumu Bayagbon.