Global Technology giant, Huawei Technologies today, has launched the 2019 edition of their flagship Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, Seeds for the Future 2019 in Ghana at the Ministry of Communications.

With this year’s edition, Huawei in partnership with the Ministry of Communications selected 10 students from the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana Technology University College (GTUC), Koforidua Technical University will be taken to China for an intensive training to help develop their skills and talent in Information Communication Technology (ICT).

The students who will be trained in Shenzhen and Beijing in China will be equipped with necessary skills, to enable them identify and harness new opportunities in ICT.

The Experience

At Shenzhen there will be a one week hands-on training for the beneficiaries at the Huawei Headquarters where students will be taken through cutting edge ICT lessons, enterprise management experience sharing, 5G Network Setup, IoT, apt Enterprise Solutions demonstrations, a visit to Huawei’s world class Labs and Exhibition Halls. They will also have hands-on practice Huawei’s top notch Laboratories guided by the company’s top Engineers and experts.

Other activities will include basic Chinese language, calligraphy and painting learning as well as tour of key Chinese historic sites like the Great Wall and Forbidden City in Beijing.

A Commendable Initiative

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Communications, Hon. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful commended Huawei for their effort, urged the students to take their trip seriously and embrace the opportunity fully in order for them to come back and impact the ICT sector.

She also mentioned that Government is committed to supporting ICT initiatives in Ghana as part of its aim of developing the ICT capacity of the Ghanaian youth to help achieve the government’s digital transformation agenda.

“All the student participants must remember that the initiative is not for us to undo each other but to sharpen the knowledge we have acquired. With growing digitization, businesses are looking at connectivity solutions that are available in real time, highly reliable and scalable as per their requirements but most importantly, they need the require the right expertise.

“I am delighted for these young people and about the prospects of providing leadership in the tech ecosystem in Ghana.

“Together with our allied agencies and partners, we are ready to support business initiatives, to create jobs and transform our communities. The government will continue to support individuals and SMEs, businesses and adopt ICT solutions to enhance their business operations,” she said.

Also speaking at the event, Counsellor of the People’s Republic of China to Ghana, Mr. Chai Zhijing, said “China’s massive economic boom is hinged mostly on ICT and such trend is seen globally. It is therefore very encouraging to see Chinese companies like Huawei undertake transformative initiatives to enhance the ICT talent pool in Ghana by building the capacity of young undergrads who will be the driving force behind Ghana’s ICT transformation in the not too distant future.

“It is my wish that this initiative among several other CSR activities Huawei has undertaken in Ghana will enhance the cooperation between both countries and also strengthen the relationship between both countries,” he said.

The Managing Director for Huawei Ghana, Mr. Tommy Zhou said, “Information and communications technologies (ICT) have become crucial growth engines for many different industries. As a global ICT leader, Huawei is committed to bringing digital to every person, home and organization for a fully connected intelligent world. In light of this commitment, promoting development of the ICT industry in countries where we operate like Ghana, remains crucial in fostering this vision to fruition.

“Huawei believes that access to education is vital to create opportunities that support fair and sustainable development in economies, therefore our global CSR initiatives largely focus on education and knowledge transfer. This is the main reason behind the Seeds for the Future, Huawei’s global CSR flagship program. It is our most heavily invested CSR activity, and we will continue with this investment globally in the long term.”

So far, 60 students have benefitted from the Seeds for the Future initiative program which launched in Ghana in 2015. The program which seeks to develop local ICT talent, enhance knowledge transfer, promote a greater understanding of and interest in the telecommunications sector, and improve and encourage regional building and participation in the digital community.

About Huawei

Huawei is a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices. With integrated solutions across four key domains – telecom networks, IT, smart devices, and cloud services – we are committed to bringing digital to every person, home and organization for a fully connected, intelligent world.

Huawei’s end-to-end portfolio of products, solutions and services are both competitive and secure. Through open collaboration with ecosystem partners, we create lasting value for our customers, working to empower people, enrich home life, and inspire innovation in organizations of all shapes and sizes.

At Huawei, innovation focuses on customer needs. We invest heavily in basic research, concentrating on technological breakthroughs that drive the world forward. We have more than180,000 employees, and we operate in more than 170 countries and regions. Founded in 1987, Huawei is a private company fully owned by its employees.

About Seeds for the Future

Seeds for the Future is our global CSR flagship program. It is our most heavily invested CSR activity, and we will continue to invest in the program over the long term. Initiated by Huawei in 2008, the program seeks to develop local ICT talent, enhance knowledge transfer, promote a greater understanding of and interest in the telecommunications sector, and improve and encourage regional building and participation in the digital community.