UNICEF Sierra Leone has donated one hundred and thirteen (113) laptops and twenty-three (23) projectors to the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) as support towards their Digital Learning Hubs and activities covered by the GIGA project.

Speaking at the ceremony, the United Nations Children’s Fund’s (UNICEF) Sierra Leone Representative, Rudolf Schwenk, outlined the impact and empowerment potential for youths with keen interest in technology, envisioning a Sierra Leone elevated to new heights through the brilliance of its younger generation.

He remarked that the donation was prompted by the involvement of the GIGA initiative which seeks to connect schools to the Internet and every young person to information, opportunity and choice, thereby bridging the digital divide, through the establishment of tech-enabled hubs, and supplying essential equipment such as these laptops.

Madam Salima Bah, Minister of Communication, Technology and Innovation, receiving the equipment for and on behalf of the government outlined the goal of establishing e-learning facilities in all 16 districts within the next five years.

This she hoped will empower youths as leaders and driving forces of development across the nation, aligning with the President’s national priorities of fostering innovation, employment opportunities, and constructing a robust digital economy. The equipment estimated at a total of USD 113, 000 were given in December.