Huawei, the Chinese information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, this week held its 10th anniversary in Botswana where it simultaneously launched its global ICT training programme, Seeds for the Future.
The company signed an agreement for the cultivation of ICT talent with government represented by Moiseraele Goya, Acting Minister of Education and Skills Development.
Speaking at the ceremony, Goya said as a world leading ICT company, Huawei’s cooperation with local partners has greatly enhanced the ICT development in Botswana. He said the development of ICT was categorised in three stages; connectivity, application and standard. He wished Huawei could work together with local partners to bring more innovative applications so that people could reap greater ICT benefits.
Goya said to move Botswana faster into the next stage of standard definition, the key lies in talent training and skills transfer. He congratulated Huawei for launching the Seeds for the Future ICT Training programme and committing to the cultivation of local talents. He hoped the participating students would make full use of the trip to learn the most advanced ICT technologies and after their graduation, to become the backbone for the country’s ICT industry and unleash their potential for the development of the nation. China’s Ambassador to Botswana, Zheng Zhuqiang said 10 years was a crucial time frame for a country’s ICT development and he was happy to see that Huawei worked tirelessly with local partners to provide the most innovative telecommunications services to Batswana.
Zheng said it took 10 years to grow trees and 100 years to cultivate talents. He commended Huawei for its vision by identifying the nurturing of local ICT talent and knowledge transfer as the engine of empowering the local community. He said Huawei demonstrated itself as a responsible corporate citizen that grows together with Botswana by initiating the Seeds for the Future programme. Gao Wenli, the managing director of Huawei Botswana shared his understanding of Huawei. He said the company was a responsible corporate citizen, a private company that strictly abides by standard industry practices and local customs, an ICT thought and innovation leader, and a supporter of national ICT initiatives and local industries. He said the Seeds for the Future programme was an example of the company’s corporate social responsibility. Wenli said Huawei was always committed to the development of local communities and job creation. Of Huawei Botswana’s 80 staff, over 70 percent are locally employed. He also said the company is the largest patent holder in China. He believes the Seed students will unleash their potential to make positive impact on the development of Botswana. Seeds for the Future is Huawei’s largest corporate social responsibility event on which Huawei leveraged its world-leading ICT technologies to cultivate ICT professionals and thus drive knowledge transfer. Participating students will have the chance to study the latest ICT technologies, Huawei's corporate culture and management experience, visit Huawei's exhibition halls and campuses as well as learn about the Chinese culture. This year, Huawei chose University of Botswana as its partner for the pilot Seeds programme in Botswana. The company’s communications manager, Cyril Xuliang said Huawei would cultivate talents for Botswana and would propose to renew their agreement with the government after two delegations of trainees.
