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XPERIEN AND WILTONS GIVE A HELPING HAND TO SCHOOLS STRIVING FOR DIGITAL LITERACY
As part of its ongoing sustainability programme , Xperien has partnered with The Wiltons Foundation . Together they will help schools , particularly in rural areas across South Africa , give their learners access to the digital world .
As a start , refurbished computers were recently donated to Masakhane Combined School in Mpumalanga .
The Wiltons Foundation is experienced in managing international partnerships and on-the-ground community and capacity building projects including school upgrades . The Foundation has collaborated with various organisations in rural communities in Gauteng , KZN and Mpumalanga .
" We ' re grateful for and proud of the invaluable partnership with Xperien and the opportunity to be part of the circular economy ,” said Katy Wilton Martins , Director , The Wiltons Foundation .
“ The computers were received by the school management team with such excitement and gratitude and they wasted no time in setting them up . We got to share in the excitement of the kids discovering and exploring an online learning support programme . I was amazed at their agility .”
The partnership between Xperien and the Wiltons aims to create spaces where educators and learners feel safe , worthy and valuable . More importantly , they want to create spaces where innovation and creativity can be unleashed and for this , digital access and laptops are essential . This is where businesses can get involved .
“ This initiative strives to transform communities by building capacity , encouraging and motivating and ultimately , instilling a sense of hope and purpose ,” said Wale Arewa , CEO , Xperien . “ Our refurbished electronics are ideal for schools , learning centres and CSI programmes . We see a growing number of companies entering the circular economy . Annually , Xperien ’ s ISO-accredited IT refurbishment factory CRS WORX processes more than 30 000 Tier 1 laptops , desktops and servers manufactured by Dell , HP and Lenovo . In addition , we distribute CRS equipment to the retail trade with a 12-month warranty ,”
South Africa ’ s Development Bank points out that poor infrastructure and resources are serious obstacles in the development of communities and economic progress . Furthermore , research shows that healthy and positive school environments are vital and fundamental to learner attendance , concentration and learning , not secondary to it .
Amnesty International highlight in a 2020 report the desperate state of public schools in South Africa , poor infrastructure , sanitation and resources perpetuating the cycle of poverty , inequality and underperformance , more importantly infringing on the rights to education and health and safety of learners and educators alike .
“ School environments can help or hinder learning and teaching . The right to quality education includes schools where learners are safe and have adequate infrastructure , facilities and resources ,” Martins concludes . x www . intelligentcxo . com
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