LAGOS, Nigeria — Aug. 12, 2013 — In recognition of International Youth Day, Microsoft Corp. Monday introduced the 4Afrika Scholarship program, as part of its 4Afrika Initiative,
through which it will provide mentorship, leadership and technical
training, certification, university-level education, and employment
opportunities for promising African students. Mentorship will be
provided by Microsoft employees from around the world, and employment
opportunities will include internships and both part-time and full-time
jobs within Microsoft, as well as with the company’s more than 10,000
partners across Africa.
Through the company’s 4Afrika Initiative and YouthSpark program,
Microsoft has committed to helping millions of Africans get critical
skills for entrepreneurship and employability. The 4Afrika Scholarship
program is one way the company intends to meet that goal, by helping
ensure that promising youth have access to the education, resources and
skills they need to succeed, regardless of their financial situations.
To help redress gender disparity in higher education in Africa, the
company is actively encouraging young women to apply.
Microsoft also announced that in the coming year it will provide
4Afrika Scholarships to 1,000 youth to pursue associate degrees in
computer science and business administration with the first
participating higher-education institution, University of the People.
The institution is an online university dedicated to the democratization
of higher education, which is affiliated with the United Nations, the
Clinton Global Initiative, New York University and the Yale Law School
Information Society Project.
“Together with participating education institutions, Microsoft’s goal
with the 4Afrika Scholarship program is to level the playing field for
talented young African minds who might not otherwise have the resources,
enabling them to get the education and skills they need to thrive in
technology-related fields,” said Patrick Onwumere, director of youth
enablement, Microsoft 4Afrika. “The 4Afrika Initiative was designed to
help ensure that Africa can become globally competitive, and investing
in our highly motivated youth is a critical step toward making that a
reality.”
Students wanting to apply for these first 4Afrika Scholarships to
attend University of the People must be at least 18 years old, have a
high school diploma and be proficient in English, since all coursework
is taught in English. They must also have access to the Internet to
participate in the online classes. To help address the connectivity
issue, the company is making working space available in its Microsoft
Innovation Centers in Tunisia, Tanzania, Uganda and Botswana for
successful applicants near those locations. In addition, Microsoft is
working with various partner hubs across Africa to make similar
arrangements for students in other locations.
“University of the People works hard to ensure that university-level
education is a possibility for the masses, and through the 4Afrika
Scholarship program, Microsoft is helping us extend that possibility
even further in Africa,” said Shai Reshef, president, University of the
People. “We are proud to be working with Microsoft to help create
amazing opportunities and open new doors for Africa’s youth.”
Applications for 4Afrika Scholarships to University of the People can be submitted online at http://www.uopeople.org/4afrika.
The first 4Afrika Scholarship students will begin classes in November
2013. Further information about the 4Afrika Scholarship program is
available at http://www.youth4afrika.com.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in
software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize
their full potential.
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