HP commits to education in Africa

December 3, 2018

At the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100, HP announced a new commitment to reach 100,000 learners across Africa over the next three years through the HP Foundation’s HP LIFE program.

The OEM kicked off the commitment by opening a new tech-enabled HP LIFE Centre in South Africa. HP’s pledge supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 and furthers the company’s goals to enable better learning outcomes for 100 million people by 2025 and to enrol a million HP LIFE users between 2016 and 2025, as outlined in the HP 2017 Sustainable Impact Report.

By 2030, Africa will be home to 32 percent of the population under the age of 30, and the largest working age population by 2035. Yet, today’s youth unemployment in Africa is up to 3x higher than adult unemployment. HP LIFE offers free, online learning for users to gain the skills to start and grow their own business or improve their employment opportunities. Building on the success of this global program, HP is working with partners to open technology-enabled HP LIFE innovation centres to further support entrepreneurship and workforce development across the continent.

“We believe that education is a human right, that technology in the classroom is a critical component for a 21st century education, and that in today’s economy our learning is never done,” said Nate Hurst, Chief Sustainability and Social Impact Officer, HP. “Africa is experiencing rapid urbanisation and digitisation—and it’s essential that people have access to learn skills for the work of tomorrow. This new HP LIFE Centre provides a launchpad for innovation and opportunity across the continent.”  

In 2017, on the global stage at the Global Citizen Festival in Hamburg, Germany, HP announced a commitment to enabling better learning outcomes for 100 million people by 2025. The commitment to education is a part of HP’s broader Sustainable Impact strategy, explains the OEM.

“Sustainable Impact is fundamental to our reinvention and core to achieving our vision – to create technology that makes life better for everyone, everywhere,” said Hurst.

In collaboration with institutions such as the Ekurhuleni West TVET College in Katlehong and its Centre of Entrepreneurship Rapid Incubator, HP opened the HP LIFE Centre in South Africa on 30 November, a technology-enabled hub to facilitate learning, collaboration and entrepreneurship in a physical, face-to-face setting.

Built on the belief that entrepreneurs are the backbone of the global economy, HP explains that HP LIFE offers 30 free, online courses focused on business and IT skills – from business planning and marketing, to raising capital and design thinking. To date, HP LIFE has reached 744,000 learners in 200 countries and territories. All users need, says the OEM, is a computer and Internet connection to access HP LIFE, and the new, physical centre in South Africa will create a more formal educational environment. HP LIFE has an enrolment goal of 1 million users between 2016 and 2025.

Categories : Around the Industry

Tags : Africa Education Entrepreneurs HP Innovation South Africa