Technology

Safaricom has announced its participation in the UN Global Compact’s Forward Faster initiative. The initiative aims to expedite private sector efforts to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlined in the 2030 Agenda.

The Forward Faster initiative calls upon business leaders worldwide to take measurable and ambitious actions in areas where the private sector can have the most substantial impact on the SDGs. These areas include gender equality, climate action, living wage, water resilience, finance, and investment.

Peter Ndegwa, CEO of Safaricom, expressed his enthusiasm for joining the initiative, stating that as the 2030 deadline approaches, they have embraced the challenge of accelerating sustainability action in key areas.

Safaricom is proud to be at the forefront of delivering the SDGs, which are crucial for reducing inequalities and improving our planet.

Ndegwa acknowledged the ongoing global challenges, including climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, and conflicts, which have hindered progress towards achieving the SDGs.

He emphasized the importance of partnerships and collaboration within the private sector to overcome these challenges and fulfill the SDGs agenda.

Safaricom has already integrated nine of the 17 SDGs into its business operations. The company has previously rallied CEOs from the region to commit to the African Business Leaders Coalition, which addresses climate change concerns.

In its latest move towards sustainability, Safaricom secured a KES 15 billion Sustainability-Linked Loan earlier this month. The loan will bolster the company’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) agenda and support its diversification of investments to achieve key ESG objectives.

The SDG Progress Report, released earlier this year by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, revealed that only 15% of the SDG targets are on track. Progress on 48% of the SDGs is deemed weak and insufficient, while 37% of the SDGs have experienced stalled or reversed progress.

Safaricom’s commitment to the Forward Faster initiative demonstrates its dedication to driving sustainable development and contributing to the achievement of the SDGs. By leveraging its influence as a private sector leader, Safaricom aims to accelerate progress and inspire other businesses to take action towards a more sustainable future.

As part of the annual #CodeLikeaGirl initiative, Vodacom is proud to announce the launch of a hybrid coding boot camp, scheduled to take place from 2-6 October 2023.

This program is specifically designed for young women between the ages of 14 and 18. The on-site training will be conducted at 19 esteemed Schools of Excellence across the country, while virtual training will be made available to all eligible female learners.

The underrepresentation of women in STEM fields is a prevailing issue worldwide. According to a report published by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), titled “Cracking the code: Girls’ and women’s education in STEM,” only 35% of STEM students in higher education globally are women. A

dditionally, young women constitute a mere 25% of students in engineering or information and communication technology (ICT) programs.

Njabulo Mashigo, the esteemed Human Resources Director of Vodacom South Africa, emphasizes the significance of the 2023 hybrid installment of this critical initiative.

By expanding access to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, Vodacom aims to address the substantial gender gap prevalent in these fields. Through #CodeLikeaGirl, young women are empowered with invaluable coding skills and other essential life skills, equipping them for future employment opportunities and fostering diversity within STEM.

Coding can be defined as the process of translating ideas, solutions, and instructions into a language that computers can comprehend. Programming languages such as JavaScript, Java, C/C++, or Python serve as the intermediary between humans and machines.

During the five-day boot camp, participants will have the opportunity to engage in coding, robotics, and other ICT development programs. This immersive experience aims to nurture their confidence in digital learning and skills, while also encouraging them to pursue further studies in STEM. Additionally, a life skills component has been incorporated into the program, offering female mentors who will share their experiences of working in STEM and serve as visible role models.

The on-site #CodeLikeaGirl boot camps will be held at 19 esteemed Vodacom Schools of Excellence across South Africa, targeting girls from these schools as well as neighboring institutions. The virtual training will run parallel to the on-site program, enabling girls from all corners of the country to participate. However, eligibility for the virtual training requires access to connectivity and a laptop.

Since the inception of Vodacom’s #CodeLikeaGirl initiative in 2017, over 4,000 girls aged between 14 and 18 have benefited from the program. This successful initiative has expanded beyond South Africa, reaching countries such as Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Lesotho.

“At Vodacom, we are committed to actively breaking down barriers to gender inequality and demonstrating our unwavering support for women. The success of #CodeLikeaGirl serves as a testament to the importance of increasing representation as we strive to build a digitally inclusive society,” concludes Mashigo.

Bboxx, the data-driven super platform, is making waves in the tech industry with the successful launch of its innovative clean cooking technology.

This cutting-edge solution, known as the Smart Cooking Valve, aims to bring clean cooking to the masses across Africa, starting in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The Smart Cooking Valve is a game-changer, addressing multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals by reducing household reliance on harmful biomass fuels like charcoal.

By providing affordable clean energy, improving health outcomes, and contributing to carbon emissions reduction, this groundbreaking technology has the potential to transform the continent.

This revolutionary device offers low-income households access to cleaner, faster, and more affordable LPG cooking solutions. By replacing charcoal with LPG, each Smart Cooking Valve deployed can save up to 6 trees and prevent the emission of 2 tons of CO2 annually.

Furthermore, this technology will combat household air pollution, a major health hazard responsible for approximately 3.2 million deaths each year, with women being disproportionately affected.

Bboxx’s unique approach combines cutting-edge technology with innovative financing options. The Smart Cooking Valve is a digitally connected, gas locking valve device that attaches directly to the LPG cylinder. It can be remotely controlled based on customers’ mobile money payments.

The Pay-as-you-cook model further enhances accessibility by allowing customers to access gas on a daily rate, eliminating the need for a significant upfront payment. This technology-driven solution not only offers a cheaper alternative to traditional charcoal basins but also reduces the average daily cost of cooking energy by 10%.

To ensure transparency and generate trusted impact and carbon reporting, the Smart Cooking Valve is powered by Bboxx’s proprietary operating system, Bboxx Pulse. This system allows Bboxx to monitor clean cooking usage at the household level, providing valuable insights for future improvements.

Having successfully launched in Rwanda and the DRC, Bboxx plans to expand its clean cooking technology to all 10 of its operational markets in 2024.

The company aims to partner with LPG companies to scale access to clean cooking LPG, reaching over 10 million households by 2028 and positively impacting more than 50 million people. This ambitious initiative has the potential to save over 60 million trees annually.

Mansoor Hamayun, Co-Founder and CEO of Bboxx, expressed his excitement about the transformative potential of this tech-driven solution. He emphasized the company’s mission to empower economically marginalized communities by providing affordable, clean cooking options.

Hamayun believes that this initiative will not only reduce fuel costs and health risks but also fuel economic growth and unlock a prosperous, equitable future.

Building on five years of clean cooking developments in East Africa, the Pay-as-you-cook subscription model promotes sustained adoption of gas over charcoal at the household level.

Additionally, Bboxx offers an asset finance initiative, allowing customers to gradually acquire ownership of their LPG cylinder. This approach further removes barriers to clean cooking adoption, creating a more equitable energy distribution model that benefits individuals from all economic backgrounds.

Mastercard has partnered with the Zanzibar e-Government Agency (eGAZ) to support the digital transformation efforts of Zanzibar.

This strategic collaboration aims to revolutionize payment systems across various sectors, including tourism, with the goal of driving economic growth and enhancing the digital landscape of the region.

The partnership was formalized through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the launch of Zanzibar’s Digital Government Strategy for 2023-2027, led by President Hussein Ali Mwinyi.

Mastercard will provide technical assistance and expertise over the next three years to support the Zanzibar government’s digital transformation goals.

This includes establishing a dedicated digital transformation team, collaborating with the government’s payment portal ZanMalipo to enable digital payments, and issuing two million government cards to improve access to services and enhance the tourism experience.

According to Shehryar Ali, Country Manager, East Africa, Mastercard, he said that the collaboration will help power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere in Zanzibar.

It is a testament to the profound impact of digitization and builds on Mastercard’s global experience in enabling digital transformation and demonstrating the value of fostering cross-sector collaboration, fuelling economic growth and facilitating financial and digital inclusion.

Mastercard’s solutions, such as the Mastercard Payment Gateway Services (MPGS), will enable merchants to accept various payment methods, including mobile payments, credit cards, and e-wallets. Additionally, consumer benefits will be highlighted on Priceless.com to drive economic development.

Zanzibar’s Revolutionary Government is dedicated to fostering a pan-African digital economy that promotes innovation, trade, and investment in Tanzania and the wider region.

Through this collaboration, Zanzibar aims to enhance service delivery by developing a fast and secure digital infrastructure for citizens, tourists, and the business community.

The island aspires to become a key player in the pan-African trade transformation journey, ultimately benefiting consumers with a more seamless, efficient, and inclusive digital environment.

The Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF) hosted Africa Endeavor 2023 with U.S. Africa Command in Dar es Salaam from 31 July to 4 August.

Africa Endeavor is a pan-African symposium focused on enhancing communications and cybersecurity capabilities while strengthening partnerships among attendees.

This year’s theme focused on institutional development by standardizing communications and cyber policies and procedures. The symposium was attended by 24 African nations, plus an additional 6 organizations, including U.S. Cyber Command.

Attendees successfully identified gaps and resources pertaining to workforce policy development and training roadmaps. Africa Endeavor 2023 was led by Brigadier General George Itang’are from the TPDF and Colonel Jesse Phillips from U.S. AFRICOM.

The closing event was chaired by Lieutenant General Solum Haji Othman, the Chief of Staff of the TPDF, and included comments from Lieutenant General Kirk Smith, the Deputy Commander of U.S. AFRICOM.

Airtel Africa and Mastercard have announced the launch of an innovative cross-border remittance service.

This strategic partnership aims to empower Airtel subscribers across 14 key African markets, facilitating safe, secure, and swift money transfers with unprecedented ease and certainty.

Remittances to Africa currently account for a staggering $95.6 billion annually, constituting a vital source of foreign currency for the continent.

The new service is primed to offer customers unparalleled convenience and accessibility, bridging the gap between loved ones worldwide and playing a pivotal role in bolstering economic growth and financial empowerment across Africa.

Mastercard’s Cross-Border Services, accessed through a single secure gateway, will gradually enable outward fund transfers across Airtel’s expansive presence in African markets.

This phased rollout includes nations such as Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. By ensuring prompt delivery, fortified transactions, and reasonable fees, the platform will seamlessly connect users to wallets spanning over 145 markets.

Ian Ferraro, Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Money, expressed his enthusiasm for this landmark venture, saying, “We are thrilled to embark on this journey with Mastercard, as we work together to roll out a world-class remittance service to our customers. At Airtel Africa, we are deeply committed to transforming the lives of our customers through innovative and accessible financial solutions, and this partnership is a significant step towards that goal. We believe that every individual deserves the chance to succeed, and we are proud to play a part in making that vision a reality.”

Ngozi Megwa, Senior Vice President of Digital Partners and Enablers for Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa at Mastercard, echoed this sentiment, stating that the digital economy continues to grow and expand.

As a global technology company with a long history in Africa, Mastercard is committed to the continent’s growth and connecting its people to convenient digital solutions that will enable a more financially inclusive future for all. We are proud to continue building on our partnership with Airtel Africa by adding more value and choice for its customers.

Mastercard’s 2022 Borderless Payments Report reveals a remarkable surge in digital payments, with three-quarters of cross-border transactions being conducted through mobile applications. This burgeoning demand for cross-border mobile transactions underscores the urgency for secure and convenient remittance services, catering to both banked and unbanked consumers.

Airtel Africa and Mastercard’s collaboration embodies a shared dedication to digital transformation, ushering in an era of accessible mobile financial services for all corners of the continent.